Oscar Pena Thesis Defense
Development of a MASH TL-4 Steel, Side-Mounted, Beam-and-Post, Bridge Rail
12:00 pm
Whittier Building
Room: 152
Additional Info: WHIT
April 10
12:00
Whittier 152
Advisor: Ronald K. Faller
A new steel, side-mounted, beam-and-post, bridge rail was designed, crash-tested, and evaluated according to safety performance guidelines included in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) for Test Level 4 (TL-4). The new bridge rail system was designed to be compatible to multiple concrete bridge decks utilized by the States of Illinois and Ohio. A prototype concept of the new bridge rail was generated through initial discussion between Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) and the States of Illinois and Ohio. Several bridge rail criteria were discussed and implemented within the prototype designs. Bridge rail configurations were then designed and subjected to a selecting process in order to identify an optimal system design based on weight per foot, constructability, and safety. Post-to-rail and rail-to-rail connections were designed for the new bridge rail. Several concepts for these connections were configured, and after discussion with representatives from the Illinois and Ohio DOTs, a preferred concept was selected for full-scale crash testing with a single-unit truck,a pickup truck, and a small car. Three MASH TL-4 crash tests were performed on the new bridge rail, which successfully contained and redirected the MASH TL-4 vehicles. All occupant risk measures and vehicle stability were within MASH limits. For MASH test designation no. 4-12 with the single-unit truck, the impact severity did not meet the allowable limit of 142.0 kip-ft. Thus, test designation no. 4-12 must be re-run. However, a maximum roll angle of 38 degrees and a dynamic deflection of 4.3 in. represent a positive indication that a subsequent test with a single-unit truck would likely meet MASH TL-4 impact safety criteria.
12:00
Whittier 152
Advisor: Ronald K. Faller
A new steel, side-mounted, beam-and-post, bridge rail was designed, crash-tested, and evaluated according to safety performance guidelines included in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) for Test Level 4 (TL-4). The new bridge rail system was designed to be compatible to multiple concrete bridge decks utilized by the States of Illinois and Ohio. A prototype concept of the new bridge rail was generated through initial discussion between Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) and the States of Illinois and Ohio. Several bridge rail criteria were discussed and implemented within the prototype designs. Bridge rail configurations were then designed and subjected to a selecting process in order to identify an optimal system design based on weight per foot, constructability, and safety. Post-to-rail and rail-to-rail connections were designed for the new bridge rail. Several concepts for these connections were configured, and after discussion with representatives from the Illinois and Ohio DOTs, a preferred concept was selected for full-scale crash testing with a single-unit truck,a pickup truck, and a small car. Three MASH TL-4 crash tests were performed on the new bridge rail, which successfully contained and redirected the MASH TL-4 vehicles. All occupant risk measures and vehicle stability were within MASH limits. For MASH test designation no. 4-12 with the single-unit truck, the impact severity did not meet the allowable limit of 142.0 kip-ft. Thus, test designation no. 4-12 must be re-run. However, a maximum roll angle of 38 degrees and a dynamic deflection of 4.3 in. represent a positive indication that a subsequent test with a single-unit truck would likely meet MASH TL-4 impact safety criteria.
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