Development of a Low-Profile Bridge Rail for Test Level 2 Applications
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ABSTRACT
A low-profile bridge rail was developed for installations where pedestrians and/or site restrictions prevent the use of conventional bridge rails with transitions. The bridge rail design was constructed using a 22.86-m long reinforced concrete parapet. The entire system measured 508-mm high by 356-mm and 279-mm wide at the top and bottom surfaces, respectively. The research study included one full-scale vehicle crash test, using a 3/4-ton pickup truck. The full-scale test, impacting at a speed of 70.0 km/hr and an angle of 27.1 degrees, was conducted and reported in accordance with the requirements specified in National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report No. 350, Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features. The safety performance of the low-profile bridge rail was determined to be acceptable according to the Test Level 2 (TL-2) evaluation criteria specified in NCHRP Report No. 350.
KEYWORDS
Highway Safety, Bridge Railing, Longitudinal Barrier, Concrete Decks, Roadside Appurtenances, Crash Test, Compliance Test