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                Safety Eligibility Letter B-194
  
  **Hardware Type:**
            Longitudinal Barriers and Bridge Rails
                          **Code:**
            B-194
                          **Date:**
            08/21/2009
                          **Testing Criteria:**
            NCHRP 350
                          **Manufacturer:**
            Caltrans
                          **Device Description:**
            California Type 90 Concrete Bridge Rail TL-4
                          **View PDF:**
            b194.pdf (610.63 KB)
    
    Safety Eligibility Letter B-194

			
			
			 
			**Download Version**PDF [929 KB]
			
			DOT logoU.S. Department of Transportation**Federal Highway Administration**
			1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.Washington, D.C. 20590
			August 21, 2009
			In Reply Refer To: HSSD/B-194
			
			Mr. Robert Meline
            	Roadside Safety Research Group
                California Department of Transportation
                5900 Folsom Blvd
            Sacramento, CA  95819
           	Dear Mr. Meline:
            This letter is in response to your request for Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) acceptance of a roadside safety system for use on the National Highway System (NHS).
            Name of system:California Type 90 Concrete Bridge RailType of system:Steel Post and Beam mounted on Concrete CurbTest Level:Test Level 4 (TL-4)Testing conducted by:Roadside Safety Research Group, California Department of TransportationDate of request:January 20, 2009You requested that we find this system acceptable for use  on the NHS under the provisions of National Cooperative Highway Research  Program (NCHRP) Report 350 “Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance  Evaluation of Highway Features.”
            **Requirements**Roadside safety systems should meet the guidelines  contained in the NCHRP Report 350, "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance  Evaluation of Highway Features". FHWA Memorandum “ACTION: Identifying  Acceptable Highway Safety Features” of July 25, 1997, provides further guidance on crash testing  requirements of longitudinal barriers.
            **Description**The  bridge rail is a steel post and beam system atop a concrete curb that has a  reverse-slope of 5.2 degrees. This design raises the reaction point of  impacting vehicles which reduces roll.  The concrete curb is 550 mm (21 1/2 inches) high, 500 mm (19 1/2 inches)  wide at the top, and 450  mm (17 3/4 inches) wide at the base. The  top of the steel rail is 925 mm (36 1/2 inches) above the travel way. The steel rail consists of 254 x 102 x 6.4 mm  (10 inch x 4 inch x 1/4 inch thick) tube steel welded to 178 x 127 x 7.9 mm (7  inch x 5 inch x 5/16 inch) tube steel posts spaced 3 m (10 feet) apart. Two 6-mm (1/4 inch) thick steel plates are  welded to the backside of the rail and the back of each post to add stiffness  to the post-rail connection. The posts  are welded to a base plate that is rigidly attached to the concrete curb with  anchor rods cast into the curb. See  attached design drawings.
            **Crash Testing**The California Type 90 Concrete Bridge Rail was crash  tested by Roadside Safety Research Group, California Department of  Transportation. The barrier had some  permanent damage. The vehicle lug nuts  and rims caused gouging and spalling of the top of the concrete curb from just  upstream of the initial impact point to where the rear tire lost contact with  the rail, about 4.5 m  downstream of the impact point. At posts  3 and 4 the spalling extended to the front edge of the post base plate. The gouging and spalling were superficial and  not structural as evidenced by the lack of exposed reinforcement barsT. In addition, there was minor weld cracking at  Post 3 (the post nearest the impact location) where the post was attached to  the base plate. The welds were cracked  approximately 6 mm on each side of all four corners, with a 0.05-mm gap at the  crack locations. The center of the base  plate was also bent upwards on the traffic and upstream sides, with the maximum  deformation of 5 mm (1/5 inch) occurring on the traffic side. Additionally, the  steel rail had a permanent lateral deflection of less than 15 mm (3/5  inches).
            **Findings**We concur that the California Type 90 Concrete Bridge Rail  meets all barrier structural adequacy and vehicle trajectory criteria as  outlined in NCHRP Report 350 and is acceptable for use on the NHS as a TL-4  barrier when allowed by the highway agency.  Please note the following standard provisions that apply to FHWA letters  of acceptance:
            This acceptance is limited to  the crashworthiness characteristics of the system and does not cover their  structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control  Devices.
            	Any changes that may adversely  influence the crashworthiness of the system will require a new acceptance  letter.
                Should the FHWA discover that  the qualification testing was flawed, that in-service performance reveals  unacceptable safety problems, or that the system being marketed is  significantly different from the version that was crash tested, we reserve the  right to modify or revoke our acceptance.
                You will be expected to supply  potential users with sufficient information on design and installation  requirements to ensure proper performance.
                You will be expected to certify  to potential users that the hardware furnished has essentially the same chemistry,  mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for acceptance, and that  it will meet the crashworthiness requirements of the FHWA and the NCHRP Report 350.
                To prevent misunderstanding by  others, this letter of acceptance is designated as number B-171 and shall not be reproduced except  in full. This letter and the test  documentation upon which it is based are 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 system for which the applicant is not the  patent holder. The acceptance letter is limited to the crashworthiness  characteristics of the candidate system, 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,
						Signature of David A. Nicol
						David A. Nicol, P.E.Director, Office of Safety DesignOffice of SafetyEnclosures U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

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