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Question
State	IL
Description Text	Here is a question that has been posed to me by a designer in one of our Districts. They want to minimize cut of the existing back slope (virtually not touch it), while squeezing in a curb and guardrail along the roadway. This results in the earth slope rising steeply behind the curb and within the deflection space of the guardrail system. I am suggesting to them to use a concrete barrier, if a barrier is needed here. However, can you see any way the guardrail might work? I think this probably is not possible because the increased embedment of the posts would lead us to a shorter post in order to compensate for the increased fill. However, there is not room for deflection before encountering the back slope and the deflecting system will be interfered with by that slope. Also, the vehicle itself will encroach into the back slope area, contributing lifting and/or snagging potential.

Question

State

IL

Description Text

Here is a question that has been posed to me by a designer in one of our Districts. They want to minimize cut of the existing back slope (virtually not touch it), while squeezing in a curb and guardrail along the roadway. This results in the earth slope rising steeply behind the curb and within the deflection space of the guardrail system.

I am suggesting to them to use a concrete barrier, if a barrier is needed here.

However, can you see any way the guardrail might work? I think this probably is not possible because the increased embedment of the posts would lead us to a shorter post in order to compensate for the increased fill. However, there is not room for deflection before encountering the back slope and the deflecting system will be interfered with by that slope. Also, the vehicle itself will encroach into the back slope area, contributing lifting and/or snagging potential.

System Performance Evaluation

System Types
Permanent Concrete Barriers
W-beam Guardrails

Applications
Systems Adjacent to Slope

System Features

Date October 4, 2010
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Attachment Guardrail in Cut Area.jpg

Response
Response (active)	Both the 1:1 and 1.5:1 cut or back-slopes on the upper side of the road would be potentially hazardous and provide an increased propensity for impacting vehicles to climb the unprotected slope and result in vehicle rollover. As such, your group has accurately identified the need to shield the hazard if it cannot be removed, flattened, etc. assuming traffic volumes, speeds, other factors, etc. warrant shielding it. Placing a standard MGS directly in front of the steep slope would result in the impacted vehicles contacting the slope under the rail as the barrier deformed backward. The guardrail system would likely be more stiff as the built-up soil would provide increased soil resistance for the steel posts in addition to that already provided by the increased fill height located behind the curb section. The back side of the guardrail system would also likely make contact with the back-slope as it deformed during the high-energy impact event. Although there would exist the possibility for this system to perform in an acceptable manner, full-scale testing would likely be needed to demonstrate satisfactory performance for the MGS with a back-slope starting under the rail and at the post locations. If 12 in. of clear and level terrain (33 in. from rail face) were provided behind the posts, I think the system would likely perform in an acceptable manner with the adjacent 1:1 back-slope shown in the plans. Unfortunately, it does not appear as though the clear and level terrain can be provided behind the guardrail system. For such situations, it may be necessary to utilize a more rigid barrier system at the base of the back-slope.

Response

Response
(active)

Both the 1:1 and 1.5:1 cut or back-slopes on the upper side of the road would be potentially hazardous and provide an increased propensity for impacting vehicles to climb the unprotected slope and result in vehicle rollover. As such, your group has accurately identified the need to shield the hazard if it cannot be removed, flattened, etc. assuming traffic volumes, speeds, other factors, etc. warrant shielding it.

Placing a standard MGS directly in front of the steep slope would result in the impacted vehicles contacting the slope under the rail as the barrier deformed backward. The guardrail system would likely be more stiff as the built-up soil would provide increased soil resistance for the steel posts in addition to that already provided by the increased fill height located behind the curb section. The back side of the guardrail system would also likely make contact with the back-slope as it deformed during the high-energy impact event.

Although there would exist the possibility for this system to perform in an acceptable manner, full-scale testing would likely be needed to demonstrate satisfactory performance for the MGS with a back-slope starting under the rail and at the post locations. If 12 in. of clear and level terrain (33 in. from rail face) were provided behind the posts, I think the system would likely perform in an acceptable manner with the adjacent 1:1 back-slope shown in the plans.

Unfortunately, it does not appear as though the clear and level terrain can be provided behind the guardrail system. For such situations, it may be necessary to utilize a more rigid barrier system at the base of the back-slope.

Date October 5, 2010
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Response
Response (active)	Could you provide guidance for flatter backslopes? Would the same 12-inch offset behind the posts be recommended for 3:1, 4:1, 6:1, 8:1 backslopes? Or at some degree of slope, could the toe of the slope be located closer to the post or face of rail?

Date June 11, 2013
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Response
Response (active)

Date September 12, 2014
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Guardrail Placement in a Cut Area