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                Safety Eligibility Letter B-170
  
  **Hardware Type:**
            Longitudinal Barriers and Bridge Rails
                          **Code:**
            B-170
                          **Date:**
            04/22/2008
                          **Testing Criteria:**
            NCHRP 350
                          **Manufacturer:**
            South Carolina DOT
                          **Device Description:**
            Anchorage for precast barriers
                          **View PDF:**
            b170.pdf (528.48 KB)
    
    Safety Eligibility Letter B-170

			
			
			 
			**Download Version**PDF [71.4 KB]
			
			DOT logoU.S. Department of Transportation**Federal Highway Administration**
			1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.Washington, D.C. 20590
			April 22, 2008
			In Reply Refer To: HSSD/B-170
			
			Mr. Don  S. Turner
				Traffic Safety and Design Engineer
				South Carolina Department of Transportation
				P.O. Box 191
				Columbia, SC 29202-0191
			
			Dear Mr. Turner:
			This is in response to your letter of September 21, 2007,  requesting the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) acceptance of South  Carolina DOT’s temporary concrete barrier wall anchorage. You requested that we find this design  acceptable for use on the National Highway System (NHS) under the provisions of  the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350  “Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway  Features.” Mr. Nicholas Artimovich of my  office replied via e-mail on October 29, 2007, agreeing that your proposal was  acceptable. The purpose of this letter  is to document our acceptance of your request for both 10 foot and 12 foot  segments, and the subsequent correspondence and  telephone conversations between Mr. Mark Bloschock of my office and Mr. Joe Sease on barrier designs and Mr. Barry Bowers on  anchor specifications.
			**Introduction**The FHWA guidance on crash testing of roadside safety  hardware is contained in a memorandum dated July 25, 1997, titled “INFORMATION:  Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety Features.”
			Your request was for an anchorage system for ten- and  twelve-foot long New Jersey profile barriers with triple loops and drop-in pin  connections. This “North Carolina Design”  for the temporary concrete barrier wall itself was found acceptable in the FHWA  acceptance letter, B-98, dated May 10, 2002.  To anchor this barrier you asked to use an anchorage system based on the  FHWA acceptance letter, B-5 dated March 14, 1989, for anchorage of pre-cast  concrete traffic barriers.
			The anchorage described in acceptance letter B-5 consisted  of proprietary anchors and grout. Each  anchor was a 15 1/2 inch long 1 inch diameter HS Hot Dipped Galvanized “Kelibond”  Anchor. The number of anchors required  for each section of barrier wall was noted as ten (10) for a 20-foot section  and seven (7) for a 15-foot section.  Each anchor passed through a slot fabricated into the barrier wall and inserted into an anchor  hole drilled to allow an embedment depth of 6 1/2 inches and secured in the  anchor hole with “Keligrout. These  anchors were only installed on the traffic side of the barrier wall.
			The anchor system you requested is equivalent to the system  in acceptance letter B-5, except that it will use generic and non-proprietary  materials. The anchors will be 16 inch  long 1 inch diameter A449 fully threaded galvanized rods. Each 10 foot section of barrier wall will be  anchored on the traffic side with four (4) anchors. Each 12 foot section of barrier wall will be  anchored on the traffic side with five (5) anchors. The anchor rods will pass through a slot  fabricated into the barrier wall and inserted into a 1 1/8” diameter hole 6  1/2” deep into the concrete bridge deck.  Each anchor will be secured in the anchor hole with a two-component  epoxy-resin bonding agent. Drawings  illustrating the temporary concrete barrier wall with the anchorage system are  enclosed, as are the epoxy grouting specifications.
			**Findings**Therefore, the system described above is acceptable for use  on the NHS under the range of conditions the original barriers were tested,  when proposed by a State.
			Please note the following standard provisions that apply to  FHWA letters of acceptance:
			This acceptance is limited to the  crashworthiness characteristics of the device(s).
				Any changes in the barrier design or anchor  specification that may adversely influence the crashworthiness of the device  will require a new acceptance letter.
				Should the FHWA discover that in-service performance  reveals unacceptable safety problems, it reserves the right  to modify or revoke its acceptance.
				You will be expected to supply potential users  with sufficient information on design and installation requirements to  ensure proper performance.
				Contractors should be expected to certify that  the hardware furnished has essentially the same chemistry, mechanical  properties, and geometry as that submitted for acceptance, and that they will  meet the crashworthiness requirements of the FHWA and the NCHRP Report 350.
				To prevent misunderstanding by others, this  letter of acceptance, designated as number B-170 shall not be reproduced  except in full. This letter, and the  test documentation upon which this letter is based, is public information. All such letters and documentation may be  reviewed at our office upon request.
				This acceptance letter shall not be construed as  authorization or consent by the FHWA to use, manufacture, or  sell any patented device for which the applicant is not the patent holder. The acceptance letter is limited to the  crashworthiness characteristics of the candidate device, and the FHWA is  neither prepared nor required to become involved in issues concerning patent  law. Patent issues, if any, are to be  resolved by the applicant.Sincerely yours,
						David A. Nicol
						David A. Nicol, P.E.Director, Office of Safety DesignOffice of Safety U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

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