Research has developed railings to withstand impact loads from vehicles of ever-increasing size; however, aesthetic considerations have been overshadowed by safety and structural requirements. The objective of the research study was to develop aesthetically pleasing, structurally sound railings that can serve as alternative railings in city or urban areas. The report presents a new concrete combination pedestrian-traffic bridge rail--Texas Type C411. The bridge rail was constructed of reinforced concrete 42 in. high by 12 in. thick and contains 6 in. wide by 28 in. high openings at 18 in. center-to-center longitudinal spacing. The combination pedestrian-traffic bridge rail was located on a 6 ft wide sidewalk with 8 in. high curb separating it from the traffic. The bridge rail was developed for use on urban streets where the speed limit would be 45 mph or less. Service Level 1 of NCHRP 230 and Performance Level 1 of the 1989 AASHTO Guide Specifications for Bridge Railings were considered inappropriate. The new C411 bridge rail performed very well under these two crash tests. The crash test results easily met the usual safety evaluation criteria. The C411 should be safe for use on low speed, 45 mph or less, roadways.
Aesthetically Pleasing Concrete Combination Pedestrian-Traffic Bridge Rail, Texas Type C411
1990
66 pages
Report
No indication
English
Highway Engineering , Road Transportation , Transportation Safety , Transportation & Traffic Planning , Transportation , Highway bridges , Guardrail design , Reinforced concrete , Pedestrian bridges , Impact tests , Texas , Guardrails , Bridge parapets , Specifications , Highway safety , Displacement , Pedestrian-traffic bridge rail