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                Safety Eligibility Letter B-120
  
  **Hardware Type:**
            Longitudinal Barriers and Bridge Rails
                          **Code:**
            B-120
                          **Date:**
            05/19/2003
                          **Testing Criteria:**
            NCHRP 350
                          **Manufacturer:**
            Midwestern Wholesalers, Inc.
                          **Device Description:**
            narrow wood offset block
                          **View PDF:**
            b120.pdf (99.52 KB)
    
    



May 19, 2003
Refer to: HSA-10/B-120
Mr. Jeffrey R. Bleile
President, Midwestern Wholesalers, Inc.
4832 Plank Road - P.O. Box 809
Norwalk, Ohio 
44857
Dear Mr. Bleile:
In your May 13 letter to Mr. Richard Powers of my
staff, you requested the Federal Highway Administration's acceptance of a
narrow, wood offset block for use with strong post, metal beam guardrail
installations on the National Highway System (NHS).
Your block was made from Grade 1 Southern Yellow Pine
with external dimensions of 4.0-inches wide x 7.375-inches deep x 14.0-inches high
(102 mm x 187 mm x 356 mm).  The post face of the block was routed such that one
edge extends 0.375 inches beyond the post flange. This one-sided routing (or “tab”) is 0.625-inches wide.  A hole 0.875 inches in diameter is drilled
through the block at its vertical midpoint and 1.625 inches in from the edge of
the block with the extended routing. 
These details are shown on the enclosed drawing.
Since no narrow timber blocks or any blocks with routing
along one edge only had been previously tested, my staff recommended a full
scale crash test to confirm satisfactory impact performance when this block is
used with strong steel post w-beam guardrail. 
The results of your subsequent test were documented in E-TECH Testing
Services, Inc. May 2003 test report, prepared by Mr. John F. LaTurner and
entitled ANational Cooperative Research Program Report 350 Crash
Test Results for the Midwestern Wholesalers Routed Offset Blockout.”  Test 3-11 showed that a 2000-kg pickup truck
impacting at 99.8 km/h (62mph) and 25 degrees was contained and redirected with
very low roll and pitch angles.  Maximum
occupant impact velocity and ridedown accelerations were 4.6 m/s (15.1 fps) and
6.7 g's, respectively. 
Maximum dynamic deflection of the barrier was reported to be only 1.0 m
(3.3 feet).
Based on our review of the information you provided,
your Midwestern Wholesalers, Inc. block is considered acceptable for use on the
NHS with a strong steel post guardrail when cut to the same dimensions and
composed of the same grade and species of timber as the tested blocks.
Please note that this acceptance is based solely on
the reported impact behavior of your block and does not address the long-term performance or
durability of this product.  I
understand that this block is not a patented item, so the use restrictions listed
in Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 635.411 for proprietary
devices are not applicable.
Sincerely yours,
(original signed by
Michael S. Griffith)
Michael S. Griffith
Acting
Director, Office of Safety Design
Office
of Safety
Enclosure U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

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