Highway work zones are the site of nearly 700 deaths annually. Protective trucks are sometimes used to shield construction and maintenance activities from errant vehicles, especially for mobile operations. Truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs) are cushioning systems attached to the rear of these protective trucks to lessen the effects of collisions on errant vehicle and protective truck occupants. This synthesis presents information on performance and use of TMAs that has been collected from state highway agencies by means of a survey and from a review of the literature. The synthesis covers physical characteristics; results of crash, vibration, and moisture tests; field experience relating to maintenance and accidents; and costs. Operational requirements and practices of users are discussed; specifically, characteristics of carrying vehicles, delineation, driver protection requirements, shadow distance, traffic volumes, and guidelines for use in various types of operations and roadways. (A)
Samenvatting