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Do you know of guidance for the Useful life of a Concrete
Protection Barrier?

Is there guidance from any research completred?

Historically speaking, we have heard from various states that 7 years if often deemed a useful service life. Of course, this life varies from state to state. Others may use around 10 years. Daily and/or monthly handling of barrier segments often contributes to degraded service life. Barrier drops on concrete pavement, forklift prongs prying on edges, chains wrapped around barrier edges, etc. will result in spalling and cracking over time. Eliminating thin, sharp corners in a section may help to increase service life in PCBs.

If PCB service life could increase by 50% to 100%, would a DOT be willing to accept an alternative design if it had increased upfront acquisition cost but lower lifecycle cost? I suspect this would depend on how much more and what service life currently exists and what may be projected.

Thanks so much for your analysis.  Are you aware of a state (or you for that matter) that has a description of physical characteristics that would make the PCB unacceptable from a crash test perspective. 

It seems to me that the FHWA characterized the acceptability of the NE PCB as “marginal”, are there physical deteriorations that would take this characterization from “marginal” to “unacceptable”?

I am looking for something the contractors and state can “see” in order to show why these PCBs are unacceptable. 

Wisconsin has a document.

http://wisconsindot.gov/rdwy/cmm/cm-01-45.pdf#cm1-45.12>

Section 1-45.12.1 contains general temporary barrier guidance for construction staff.

1-45-12.5 addressed barrier quality

There is one other group that had prepared information. I will need to try to recall which group or state. Maybe Illinois?