Testing of State Roadside Safety Systems: Volume I - Technical Report (FHWA-RD-96-)

The purpose of this study is to crash test and evaluate new or modified roadside safety hardware and, where necessary, redesign the devices to improve their impact performance. The three major areas addressed in this study are the impact performance of bridge railings, transitions from guardrails to bridge railings, and end treatments for guardrails and median barriers. This report presents a summary of the results of various laboratory, pendulum, and crash tests conducted under this study. A total of 36 full-scale crash tests were conducted, covering 12 different types of roadside safety appurtenances. The crash tests were conducted in accordance with guidelines set forth in NCHRP Report 230, NCHRP Report 350, and/or the 1989 AASHTO Guide Specifications for Bridge Railings, depending on the specific appurtenance being tested. In addition, laboratory and pendulum tests were conducted on a modified breakaway MELT post design.|This volume is the first in a series of 14 volumes for the final report. The other volumes in the series are: Volume Il, Appendix A - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Michigan Thrie-Beam Transition Design; Volume III, Appendix B Development and Crash Testing of a Guardrail System for Low-Fill Culvert; Volume IV, Appendix C - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Pennsylvania Transition Design; Volume V, Appendix D - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Washington, D. C. PL-1 Bridge Rail Design; Volume VI, Appendix E - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Modified Breakaway Cable Termin (BCT) Design; Volume VII, Appendix F - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Minnesota Swing-Away Mail Box Support Design; Volume VIII, Appendix G - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Single Slope Bridge Rail; Volume IX, Appendix H Crash Testing and Evaluation of a NETC PL-2 Bridge Rail Design; Volume X, Appendix I - Crash Testing and Evaluation of Mini-MELT Terminal for a W-Beam Weak-Post (G2) Guardrail System; Volume XI, Appendix J - Crash Testing and Evaluation of Existing Guardrail Systems; Volume X11, Appendix K - Crash Testing and Evaluation of the MELT Terminal; Volume XIII, Appendix L - Crash Testing and Evaluation of the Modified MELT Terminal; and Volume XIV, Appendix M Laboratory and Pendulum Testing of a Modified Breakaway Wooden Post.