Crash Testing of Various Erosion Control Features - Phase I: Preliminary Guidelines
REPORT NUMBER
TRP-03-249-11
AUTHORS
Eric Jowza, Ronald Faller, Mario Mongiardini, Dean Sicking, John Reid
PUBLICATION DATE
2011-11-28
ABSTRACT
In recent years, greater attention has been placed on controlling erosion and improving the quality of water runoff that leaves the right of way found along roads. As a result, riprap, rock check dams, ditch liners, and other devices have been more frequently installed within and/or adjacent to the roadside. Unfortunately, very little to no research has been performed in order to determine the crashworthiness of the erosion control features noted above. A clear need existed to investigate the crashworthiness of selected erosion control features, such as ditch liners and check dams, when used in combination with sloped drainage features.
The design practices employed by 14 different state departments of transportation regarding these devices were examined as well as national guidelines set forth by various federal agencies for similar structures. Key safety considerations were noted during the investigation, from which preliminary guidelines for the safe design and placement of rock check dams and rock ditch liners were developed. A plan involving the refinement of these guidelines through future computer simulation (Phase II) and full-scale testing (Phase III) research was also developed.F
KEYWORDS
Highway Safety, Roadside Safety, Crash Test, Erosion Control Features, Ditch, Check Dam, Ditch Liner, Drainage Channel, Rock, and Riprap