Summary and Recommendations of Recycled Materials in Roadside Safety Devices (1458-S)

In response to the increased interest in the use of recycled materials such as plastics, rubber, paper, and glass, etc., the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sponsored project 0-1458, entitled "Recycled Materials in Roadside Safety Devices." The purpose of this project was to investigate and explore the use of recycled materials in roadside safety applications with the goal of product implementation.|This report summarizes a three-phase research program intended to evaluate the use of recycled materials in roadside safety devices. In the first phase, information regarding recycled material manufacturers and their products was acquired through an extensive literature review and survey of research organizations, state and federal transportation agencies, professional and trade societies, and manufacturers.|In the second phase of this project, products were further evaluated through a series of static and dynamic laboratory tests. The testing focused on the applications of Type III barricades, guardrail posts, guardrail offset blocks, and sign supports which were identified as areas with high potential that lacked suitable recycled alternatives. The products showed a wide range in behavior due to different material compositions.|Phase III consisted of full-scale crash testing of selected products to validate laboratory results, verify their crashworthiness, and assist with the development of performance specifications. Three products were evaluated for use as temporary sign supports. Another product was evaluated for use as guardrail posts and offset blocks in strong post W-beam guardrail. Performance specifications were prepared for these applications and are included as appendices in the summary report.