Abstract:
Road authorities worldwide recognize that the most dangerous part of a longitudinal barrier is the end. Understanding the importance of a safe barrier end, researchers have developed a variety of end treatments, or terminals, since their introduction in the 1960s to reduce the dangers of blunt ends. A crashworthy end treatment must be able to act as an anchor to redirect an errant motorist during an impact near the upstream or nose of the barrier. Therefore, it must be very strong. However, crashworthy end treatments also must act like a cushion to reduce the deceleration of an errant motorist who inadvertently impacts the end of the barrier head on without ramping, rolling, or pitching. Therefore, the end treatment must also be soft with the ability to cushion an errant motorist. This creates an engineering challenge and the highway safety engineering community has responded in a very positive manner over the past 50 years.
