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                Safety Eligibility Letter B-85B
  
  **Hardware Type:**
            Longitudinal Barriers and Bridge Rails
                          **Code:**
            B-85B
                          **Date:**
            08/28/2002
                          **Testing Criteria:**
            NCHRP 350
                          **Manufacturer:**
            TRINITY Industries
                          **Device Description:**
            Modification to KING block
                          **View PDF:**
            b85b.pdf (39.29 KB)
    
    
August 28, 2002
HSA-10/B85B
Mr. Rodney A. Boyd
  Trinity Highway Safety Products Division
  Box 568887
  Dallas, Texas 75356-9619
Dear Mr. Boyd:
Mr. Don Johnsons July 5 letter to Mr. Richard Powers of my staff requested 
  the Federal Highway Administrations (FHWA) formal concurrence that raising the 
  original King offset block 2 inches or 4 inches above the top of the steel support 
  posts would not change the Test Level 3 status of the w-beam rail.  He also 
  requested acceptance of a modified block with an open face design for standard 
  use and with the same height adjustment options.
It remains the FHWAs position that a height adjustment up to 4 inches is not 
  likely to change a barriers crash performance, but two bolts must be used for 
  the maximum 4-inch adjustment - one through the rail and block and a second 
  one (to the left or right of the first) through the block alone.  The double-bolt 
  attachment is deemed necessary to hold the block in place during a typical impact.
Regarding your request to modify the original design by eliminating the solid 
  face, I agree that this modified block may be used in its normal position (flush 
  with the top of the post), but a full-scale test would be needed for any height 
  adjustment to this design.  A pendulum test is not considered a reasonable surrogate 
  for a full-scale test for the combination of a narrow, non-solid block installed 
  above the top of the post because it does not replicate the post bending and 
  twisting that occurs in an actual crash.
Sincerely yours,
(original signed by Carol H. Jacoby)
Carol H. Jacoby, P.E.
  Director, Office of Safety Design U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

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