Crash Testing and Evaluation of the HDOT 34-in. Tall, Aesthetic Concrete Bridge Rail with Pedestrian Handrail and Sidewalk: MASH Test Designation Nos. 3-10 and 3-11

Report Number(s): TRP-03-456-22

Description: The barrier system test installation consisted of two 10-ft 11¾-in. long and three 21-ft 11½- in. long concrete barrier segments with a pedestrian handrail and sidewalk. As noted previously, the HDOT 34-in. Tall, Aesthetic Concrete Bridge Rail with Pedestrian Handrail and Sidewalk was fabricated for evaluation of the LON of the bridge rail. Thus, no end sections of the rail were constructed. The rail was constructed in five segments that were separated by four expansion joints to allow for evaluation of the critical rail section at the expansion joints. The spacing between the expansion joints was limited to 22 ft, which was the smallest rail segment length between joints noted by HDOT. Larger rail segment lengths between expansion joints were considered less critical. The HDOT 34-in. tall, Aesthetic Concrete Bridge Rail with Pedestrian Handrail and Sidewalk was installed on the concrete tarmac at MwRSF’s Outdoor Test Site rather than on a simulated bridge deck and cantilevered overhang. Previous testing of a MASH 2016 TL-4 bridge rail on similar 8-in. thick concrete bridge deck did not display significant deck damage [10]. This finding, along with historical results, indicated no potential for deck damage or deflection that would affect the test results of the HDOT 34-in. tall, Aesthetic Concrete Bridge Rail with Pedestrian Handrail and Sidewalk under MASH 2016 TL-3 impact conditions.

Test Level: 3

Barrier Type: Aesthetic

MASH Test Number: 3-11, 3-10

Proprietary/Non-proprietary: Non-proprietary

Pass/Fail: Pass

Evaluation: Full-Scale Crash Testing

Sponsor: Hawaii Department of Transportation