00611698

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org...trcircular/374/374-002.pdf

Testing the interaction between vehicles and roadside features should lead to improved roadside safety, and desirably, to more cost effective roadside safety designs. To achieve both of these results, the testing that is undertaken must have relevance to service conditions, and the criteria used to evaluate the test results must take into account both human tolerances to impacts and what is technologically practicable. In order to be relevant, testing must be conducted with vehicles and with approach speeds and angles that are representative of the upper severity limit of a large portion of accident conditions experienced in the field. The current NCHRP Report 230 tests for longitudinal barriers miss the mark a little in this regard. Also, the bus tests that are in NCHRP Report 230 are not representative of vehicles that account for a significant portion of the heavy vehicle barrier accidents, namely, truck semi-trailers. The purpose of NCHRP Report 230 was not to serve as guidance for the acceptance of roadside features. However, it has become the basic document on the subject. In the next writing of NCHRP Report 230 we had better recognize this fact and give much more thought to the recommended design (acceptance) delta V's and do more to explain what they mean.

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00611696

p. 9-12

1991-7

Transportation Research Circular

Figures (1)

Barriers (Roads); Bridge railings; Crash tests; Crashes; Design standards; Guardrails; Median barriers; Recommendations; Roadside; Safety; Testing

National Cooperative Highway Research Program; NCHRP Report 230

Barriers

Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure

TRIS, TRB

Aug 31 1991 12:00AM

• COMMENTS ON NCHRP REPORT 230 RELATED TO IN-SERVICE EVALUATIONS
• CRASH TEST CONDITIONS AND TOLERANCES
• CRASH TEST INSTRUMENTATION AND EVALUATION
• NCHRP REPORT 230 - THE INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
• REVIEW OF BIOMECHANICAL IMPACT RESPONSE AND INJURY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE ENVIRONMENT
• THE PURPOSE OF THE NCHRP REPORT 230 UPDATE
• USING SURROGATE TEST VEHICLES