Every year many lives and millions of dollars are lost due to traffic-related accidents involving fixed roadside objects such as signs and luminaries. Therefore, it is important to design these structures to break away or yield upon impact. This paper develops innovative devices, using theories of plasticity and triaxial yielding. The devices function by reducing and/or by eliminating bolt fixity produced as a result of impact forces. The weakened sections of the devices bend and eventually break upon the application of these loads. This allows the impacting vehicle to move the roadside structure out of its path. Research in both materials and in roadside safety has been combined. The aim is to develop a safety feature which clearly delineates road edges, center islands, median barriers and other dangerous areas. The aim is to reduce the hazards encountered during rainy and/or nighttime driving. This was accomplished by developing a chemical and impact resistant, color fast material, namely polymer concrete. When combined with known retroreflective technology, roadway features as precast polymer concrete curb facing and Jersey barrier stay-in-place forms were created. Structural, reflectivity and in service testing have proven this technology successful in applications on roadways, bridges, and tunnels. (A)
Abstract