Minisized Automobiles and Roadside Appurtenances
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 109, Issue 6
Abstract
The effectiveness of roadside safety appurtenances under impact with minisized automobiles is investigated. The vast majority of existing roadside hardware have been qualified under guidelines which have not considered vehicles in this light weight range. Since the numbers of these minisized vehicles are increasing dramatically with this trend expected to continue, the potential problem areas are significant. They are shown to include excessive occupant‐vehicle interior velocities and ridedown accelerations along with vehicle dynamic instabilities. It is demonstrated that mini‐cars are much more susceptible than full‐sized automobiles to these unstable modes of behavior when subjected to eccentric impact loading. The prospects for improving existing highway appurtenances and developing new families of these devices to more effectively meet new FHWA guidelines are examined. Considerations of cost, site dimensions, variation in vehicle size, shape, and weight, and their individual effects on crash cushion performance and design are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Bloom, J. A., “Selection of a Vehicle for Frontal and Broadside Impact Testing into a Luminaire Support,” ENSCO, Inc., June, 1981.
2.
Bronstad, M. E., and Michie, J. D., “Recommended Procedures for Vehicle Crash Testing of Highway Appurtenances,” National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 153, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Washington, D.C., 1974.
3.
Carney, J. F., III, and Sazinski, R. J., “Portable Energy Absorbing System for Highway Service Vehicles,” Transportation Engineering Journal, ASCE, Vol. 104, No. TE4, July, 1978, pp. 407–421.
4.
“Certification Tests of Hex‐Foam Cartridges for GREAT Attenuators,” Energy Absorption Systems, Inc., Nov., 1980.
5.
Cushion Safe, Transpo‐Safety, Inc., New Rochelle, N.Y.
6.
Griffin, L. I., III, “Probability of Overturn in Single Vehicle Accidents as a Function of Road Type and Passenger Car Curb Weight,” Texas Transportation Institute, Nov., 1981.
7.
Hayes, G. G., Ivey, D. L., and Hirsch, T. J., “Performance of the Hi‐Dro Cushion Cell Barrier Vehicle‐Impact Attenuator,” Highway Research Record 343, 1971, pp. 93–99.
8.
Hirsch, T. J., Hayes, G. G. and Ivey, D. L., “The Modular Crash Cushion,” Technical Memorandum 505‐15, Texas Transportation Institute, Aug., 1970.
9.
Labra, J. J., “Impact Attenuators for Heavy Vehicles—A Feasibility Study,” Phase 1 Final Report (Vol. 1), Federal Highway Administration, Aug., 1980.
10.
Nordlin, E. F., Stoker, J. R., and Doty, R. N., “Dynamic Tests of an Energy‐Absorbing Barrier Employing Sand‐Filled Plastic Barrels,” Highway Research Record 386, 1972, pp. 28–51.
11.
“Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Appurtenances,” National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report No. 230, Mar., 1981.
12.
“Recommended Procedures for Vehicle Crash Testing of Highway Appurtenances,” Transportation Research Circular No. 191, Feb., 1978.
13.
The Highway Loss Reduction Status Report, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Vol. 17, No. 1, Jan., 1982.
14.
Truck Mounted Attenuators, Energy Absorption Systems, Inc., West Sacramento, Calif.
15.
Walker, G. W., and Young, B. O., “Crash Test Results for Hi‐Dri Cell Crash Cushion,” Report No. FHWA‐RD‐73‐66, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C., Jan., 1973.
16.
Young, B. O., Report on Effectiveness of the G‐R‐E‐A‐T Attenuator During Head‐On and Side Angle Impacts as Observed in Demonstrations at Hamburg, West Germany, Oct., 1978, Energy Absorption Systems, Inc., 1978.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 109 • Issue 6 • November 1983
Pages: 815 - 823
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 ASCE.
History
Published online: Nov 1, 1983
Published in print: Nov 1983
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.