Derivation and application of simplified criteria for evaluating flexible bridge rail performance. Paper prepared for the 54th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board TRB, Washington, D.C., January 1975.

Simplified criteria are derived for evaluating the capability of a flexible bridge railing system to safety contain impacting vehicles ranging in size from subcompacts to heavy trucks. The evaluation is based on comparison of the static force versus deflection characteristics of the railing system with as associated integral characteristics that is easily obtained.