Low‐Maintenance Rubber Crash Cushion
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 116, Issue 3
Abstract
The present research was aimed at development of a low‐maintenance crash cushion utilizing reusable rubber elements. Energy dissipation characteristics of full‐scale hollow circular rubber cylinders was investigated through static and dynamic testing. Effects of clustering cylindrical elements on energy dissipation was also examined through dynamic testing. A full‐scale prototype crash cushion was constructed from a cluster of rubber cylinders formed from a natural rubber (NR) product containing a 20% ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer (EPDM) blend and subjected to a series of vehicular crash tests. Although unexpected failures in the rubber cylinders prevented acceptance of the prototype cushion in terms of recommended impact performance criteria, the failures were attributed to a mandrel‐wrapping process for which a compression‐mold process can be substituted. A low‐maintenance rubber crash cushion is technically and economically feasible and can reduce life‐cycle costs by 60% or more at high‐accident locations. Further development is therefore recommended.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Fitch inertial barrier system design manual. (1975). FIBCO Inc., Boston, Mass.
2.
Hirsch, T. J., and Ivey, D. L. (1969). “Vehicle impact attenuation by modular crash cushion.” Res. Report 146‐1, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex.
3.
Michie, J. D. (1981). “Recommended procedures for the safety performance evaluation of highway appurtenances.” Report 230, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Washington, D.C.
4.
Sicking, D. L., and Ross, H. E., Jr. (1985). “Roadside concrete barriers: Warrants and end treatment.” Res. Report 346‐1F, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, College Station, Tex.
5.
Sicking, D. L., and Ross, H. E., Jr. (1986). “Low‐maintenance end treatment for concrete barriers.” Transp. Res. Record 1065, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 31–37.
6.
Sicking, D. L. (1987). “Development of low‐maintenance end treatment for concrete barriers,” thesis presented to Texas A&M University, at College Station, Texas, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
7.
Sicking, D. L., Thompson, M. F., and Ross, H. E., Jr. (1989). “Energy dissipation characteristics of clustered rubber cylinders.” Res. Report 453‐1F, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, College Station, Tex.
8.
Thompson, M. F. (1988). “Energy dissipation characteristics of rubber crash cushion elements,” thesis presented to Texas A&M University, at College Station, Texas, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1990 ASCE.
History
Published online: May 1, 1990
Published in print: May 1990
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.