Patent ID: 6244571
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: E01F

Abstract:
A crash attenuation apparatus in combination with a guardrail system having rail posts and rail elements comprising:an impact head having a nose portion and attached to the frontmost rail element of said rail elements, said head spaced apart from the frontmost post of said rail posts;an upper rail post breaking beam and a lower rail post breaking beam attached to said impact head and extending downstream toward said frontmost post, the length of said upper post breaking beam being greater than the length of said lower post breaking beam, said breaking beams spaced apart from said frontmost post, said beams impact said frontmost post after said head is impacted;a guide tube attached to said impact head; anda strut member having a first end and a second end, said strut member induces rail element buckling at a predetermined location along said frontmost rail element of said guardrail system, said strut member extends from a first attachment point on said frontmost rail element, said second end attached to a second attachment point on said frontmost rail element downstream of said first attachment point.