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Home / Publications / Catalog Search / Testing and Evaluation of the Massachusetts Type S3-TL4 Bridge Railing

Testing and Evaluation of the Massachusetts Type S3-TL4 Bridge Railing

Full-Text PDF

Author(s):

C.E. Buth, W.L. Menges, W.F. Williams

Publication Date

December 1999

Abstract

The Federal Highway Administration (FHW A), in cooperation with Massachusetts Highway Department, initiated this contract with the objective to crash test and evaluate two design versions of the Massachusetts Type S3-TIA Bridge Railing, one installation mounted on a sidewalk with curb and the other mounted on a safety curb without sidewalk. Both designs of the Massachusetts Type S3-TIA Bridge Railing were evaluated to NCHRP Report 350 TL-4. To evaluate to TL-4, three full-scale crash tests on the length of need (LON) of the longitudinal barrier, or bridge rail, are required. These include an 820-kg passenger car impacting the critical impact point (CIP) of the LON at a nominal impact speed and angle of 100 kml/h and 20 degrees, a 2000-kg pickup truck impacting the CIP of the LON at a nominal impact speed and angle of 100 kmIh and 25 degrees, and an 8000-kg single-unit truck impacting the CIP of the LON at a nominal impact speed and angle of 80 kmIh and 15 degrees.
The three full-scale crash tests performed on the Massachusetts Type S3-TIA Bridge Railing mounted on sidewalk with curb showed the system performed acceptably for all evaluation criteria specified for NCHRP Report 350 test designations 4-10, 4-11, and 4-12. The Massachusetts Type S3-TIA Bridge Railing mounted on safety curb without sidewalk met the required evaluation criteria specified for NCHRP Report 350 test designations 4-11 and 4-12. NCHRP Report 350 test designation 4-10 was not performed on the Massachusetts Type S3-TIA Bridge Railing mounted on safety curb without sidewalk because it was reasoned that the small car would perform acceptably as compared with the test performed on the Massachusetts Type S3-TIA mounted on sidewalk with curb. This report presents the details and results of all five full-scale crash tests performed under this contract.

Report Number:

404251-F

Link(s):

Document/Product

http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/TTI-1999-ID4927.pdf

Publication/Product Request

TTI reports and products are available for download at no charge. If an electronic version is not available and no instructions on how to obtain it are given, contact the TTI Library.

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