• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.117-124
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• 1998

New Thrie-Beam guardrail section has been developed. The Characteristic of its geometry, energy absorbing capability and response to impact has been studied and compared with those of conventional W-Beam guardrail system. To compare the response to impact computer simulation using Barrier Ⅶ program was made. Stretch tests and static loading tests were conducted for the performance verifications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.381-393
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• 2001

The current traffic situation in Korea can be described as rapid change in traffic volume and diversity in vehicle size from compact cars to large trucks. W-beam barrier most widely used in Korea was found not to satisfy the stiffness requirement for the Koran impact condition of 14 ton-60Km/h-15deg. and it was too stiff for small vehicles impacting with more realistic speed to satisfy the safety of vehicle occupants. To develop a guardrail system satisfying the two contradicting goals, a thrie-beam guardrail system, which had the beam thickness of 3.2mm and rubber cushions, was conceived. Even though the height of the thrie-beam(450mm) is increased by 100mm as compared to that of W-beam (350mm), there was only 2% increase in the weight of the thrie-beam. The new thrie-beam barrier system could contain more wide range of vehicle bumper heights, and showed better performance in the viewpoint of stiffness and energy absorbing capability than the W-beam system. The impact performance was evaluated from a crash test. The developed thrie-beam guardrail system satisfied all applicable criteria for NCHRP 350 test designation 3-10.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.313-325
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• 2001

Tubular bridge rail was developed to restrain and redirect a 14ton van-type truck. The developed bridge rail permits better visibility than concrete safety-shape bridge rail, and it has better structural adequacy than the existing steel and aluminum bridge rails in Korea. The new bridge rail consists of a tubular thrie beam(TTB) rail and a steel guard rail, which are connected to composite posts. The TTB shape provides both better containment of diverse bumper heights and more tight fit between the ends of bridge rail and roadside guardrails than the existing bridge rail sections currently used in Korea. Making composite post by filling concrete inside the steel pipe of the same size as are used for the roadside guardrail post was found to be more efficient in increasing the stiffness and ultimate strength than simply increasing the size of the steel pipe. The system was crash-tested for the impact condition of 14ton-80km/h-$15^{\circ}$, and it satisfied all evaluation criteria set forth in NCHRP Report 350 for a Test Level 4 safety appurtenance. Acceptable performances were obtained in computer simulations for the impact condition of S2.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.127-133
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• 2013

PURPOSES : The impact performance of flexible barrier system such as structural response, vehicular motion and occupant safety vary depending on the impact point. Thus, to properly evaluate the performance of a flexible barrier system, impact should be made to a point which will lead to the worst possible results. This point is called the Critical Impact Point (CIP). This paper presents the way to determine the CIP for a SB2 class flexible barrier system which is consisted of Thrie-Beam rail and circular hollow tube post of 2m span. METHODS: Barrier VII simulations were made for impact points; Case 1 at a post, Case 2 at 1/3 span downstream from a post, Case 3 at middle of the span, Case 4 at 2/3 span downstream from a post. For the structural performance (deflections), impact simulation of 8000kg-65km/h-15degree was used, and for vehicle motion and occupant safety, simulation of 1300kg-80km/h-20degree impact was made and analysed. RESULTS: Case 1 gave the largest dynamic deflection of 75.72cm and also gave the largest snag value of 44.3cm. Occupant safety and exit angle of the vehicle after the impact were not sensitive to the impact point and were all below the allowable limit. CONCLUSIONS : For the SB2 class flexible barrier system's CIP can be regarded as a post which is sufficiently away from the end of Length of Need in order to avoid the end-effect of the barrier system. It can be more economic in the long run because the normal concrete pavement material is likely to cost more due to higher probability of maintenance and repair and higher social cost due to traffic accident, etc.