Performance Evaluation of Two Aesthetic Bridge Rails

The objective of this study was to develop two aesthetically pleasing and crashworthy bridge rails for use by TxDOT. Consideration was given to both high-speed and low-speed designs. Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and TxDOT worked cooperatively to conceptualize several aesthetically pleasing rail designs. Two crash tests were recommended for each prototype bridge rail with an option to perform a third test using a commercial vehicle. The crash tests evaluated the safety performance of the bridge rails in accordance with Test Level 3 conditions as defined in NCHRP Report 350. Each rail underwent two full-scale crash tests in accordance with NCHRP Report 350.