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Citation |
Crowley JD, Denman OS. Transp. Res. Rec. 1992; 1367: 84-91. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 1992, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing) |
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DOI |
unavailable |
PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
The misapplication of safety appurtenances sometimes occurs because designers and specifiers do not have a thorough understanding of appurtenance characteristics or how they should be applied to hazards. The primary reasons include the following. First, highway appurtenance application and use guidelines are limited. Second, the background knowledge and experience of designers and specifiers is declining as a result of turnover and retirement. Third, appurtenance characteristics are not always published in a consistent and useful form. Fourth, the number of alternative appurtenances has increased. Fifth, the existing appurtenance approval procedures group devices into broad categories that do not adequately describe the intended use or limitations of any specific system. Providing better information and training to designers and specifiers can result in better application of safety appurtenances. Designers and specifiers should understand critical site considerations and system characteristics and have access to guidelines for selecting the appropriate system characteristics to address each specific site. Researchers, industry associations, manufacturers, FHWA, AASHTO, and others should work together to improve the information provided to designers and specifiers. A document could be published in which the testing, critical site considerations, system characterization, and application information are combined. Designers and specifiers need this information to make proper applications of safety appurtenances. This paper is focused on why safety appurtenances are misapplied, and steps to improve the overall situation are recommended. Detailed descriptions of key site considerations, system characteristics, and system testing and evaluation requirements are discussed. Language: en |