Vehicle Crash Tests of a Concrete Median Barrier Retrofitted with a ConcreteGlare Screen

摘要

Two vehicle crash tests were performed on a retrofit concrete glare screenslipformed on top of an existing 32-inch high concrete safety shape barrier. The concrete glare screen is intended as a replacement for the current standard expanded metal glare screen. This concrete glare screen is 20-inches high, 6-inches thick at the base and tapers slightly to 5-inches thick at the top. Reinforcing consists of two longitudinal No. 4 bars tied to vertical No. 5 hoops (inverted U-shaped stirrups). At the base of the glare screen is a 3/4-inch chamfer to match that at the top of the concrete barrier. The two test vehicles included a pickup truck ballasted to 5390 lbs. travelling 55.3 mph and impacting at 20 degrees; and a large car ballasted to 4360 lbs, travelling 56.2 mph and impacting at 25 degrees. Both tests showed that a concrete glare screen can successfully withstand the impact of both a pickup truck and a heavy passenger car, and satisfy the requirements for structural adequacy, occupant risk and vehicle trajectory in NCHRP Report 230. Maintenance costs for the concrete glare screen should be less than those for the metal mesh glare screen.