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                Safety Eligibility Letter B-179
  
  **Hardware Type:**
            Longitudinal Barriers and Bridge Rails
                          **Code:**
            B-179
                          **Date:**
            07/11/2008
                          **Testing Criteria:**
            NCHRP 350
                          **Manufacturer:**
            Energy Absorption, Inc
                          **Device Description:**
            TL-1 Triton Water Filled Barrier
                          **View PDF:**
            b179.pdf (398.29 KB)
    
    Safety Eligibility Letter B-179

			 
			**Download Version**PDF [399 KB]
			
			DOT logoU.S. Department of Transportation**Federal Highway Administration**
			1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.Washington, D.C. 20590
			July 11, 2008
			In Reply Refer To: HSSD/B-179
			
			Mr.  Barry D. Stephens, P.E.
				Sr. Vice President Engineering
				Energy Absorption Systems, Inc.
				3617 Cincinnati    Avenue
				Rocklin, CA 95678
			Dear Mr. Stephens,
			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: TRITON BARRIER® Test Level 1 (TL-1)
				Type of  system: Water Filled Barrier
				Test Level:  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350 TL-1
				Testing  conducted by: E-TECH Testing Services, Inc.
				Date of  request: January 11, 2008You requested that we find this system acceptable for use on  the NHS under the provisions of National Cooperative Highway Research Program  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 new system is a portable,  water-filled plastic longitudinal barrier intended for use as a temporary  barrier in highway construction zones.  Energy developed the TRITON BARRIER® TL-1 to prevent vehicle penetration  at impact speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph) and impact angles up to 25  degrees.
			The test installation was 29.7 m  (97.45 feet) long, consisting of 15 TRITON units. The dimensions of the individual Triton units  are as follows:
			Height -813 mm (32 in)Width  -533 mm (21 in)Length* -1981 mm (78 in)  [*Length measured pin to pin]Weight  (empty) -45 kg (99 lbs)Weight  (full) -595 kg (1312 lbs)Water  ballast -550 L (145 gal)Color(s) -Orange and WhiteThe  TRITON BARRIERÒ TL-1  barrier consists of multiple barrier sections pinned together using a 48 mm  (1-1⁄2 in Schedule 40) diameter steel pipe connecting pin to optimize impacting  vehicle redirection. Each individual  section will incorporate a 12.7 mm (1/2 in) diameter steel cable towards the  top of the unit to maximize the tension capacity of the system during  impacts. The plastic mold design allows  for the stacking of the empty sections (up to three high) during storage and  transport. The TRITON BARRIERÒ TL-1 sections are  identical to the TRITON BARRIERÒ TL-2 unit previously accepted by the FHWA except the internal  steel framework inherent to these existing units was removed for this TRITON  BARRIERÒ TL-1  test. A decal will be affixed to the  exterior of each TRITON BARRIERÒ TL-1 section to prevent these units from being mistakenly  being used with the TRITON BARRIERÒ TL-2 and the TRITON BARRIERÒ TL-3 products.
			**Crash Testing**Full-scale crash testing was  conducted on the TL-1 barrier. We concur  that conducting one full-scale “capacity” NCHRP 350  test was adequate to validate the performance of this system. The test you completed was NCHRP 350 Test  1-11 (2000P/50KPH/25 deg). Your test  verified that the impact performance for heavier vehicles (2000kg) was  acceptable and successfully prevented vehicle penetration into the work zone  behind the product. We noted that the nearly  30-meter (100-ft) long system was not anchored during the test, resulting in  lateral barrier deflection of 2.7 meters (8.9 ft).
			The test data sheet summarizing the  results of the impact is enclosed for reference. Based upon the successful completion of the  aforementioned NCHRP 350 test you provided, we agree that your TRITON BARRIER®  TL-1 system is acceptable for use as a TL-1 longitudinal barrier. The system, as described above, may be used on  the NHS when such use is acceptable to the contracting authority.
			**Findings**Therefore, the system described above and detailed in the  enclosed drawing is acceptable for use on the NHS under the range of conditions  tested, when acceptable to a 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 systems 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-179 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.
				Triton Barriers   are patented products and considered proprietary. If proprietary systems are specified by a  highway agency for use on Federal-aid projects, except exempt, non-NHS  projects, they: (a) must be supplied through competitive bidding with equally  suitable unpatented items; (b) the highway agency must certify that they are  essential for synchronization with the existing highway facilities or that no  equally suitable alternative exists; or (c) they must be used for research or  for a distinctive type of construction on relatively short sections of road for  experimental purposes. Our regulations  concerning proprietary products are contained in Title 23, Code of Federal  Regulations, Section 635.411.
				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 SafetyImage of Triton Barrier®TL-1 Section, TRI White or Orange
			Images of crash resultsGeneral InformationTest AgencyE-TECH Testing Services, Inc.Test DesignationNCHRP 350 Test 1-11Test No.01-4318-001Date8/28/07Test ArticleTypeEnergy Absorption Systems. Inc.TRITON BARRIER TL-1 SystemInstallation Length29.7 m - (15) sections total, pinned and freestandingSize and/or dimension and material of key elementsPolyethylene Plastic sectionLength -  1981 mmWidth - 533 mmHeight - 813 mmMass - 45 kg (empty)/595 kg (full)Foundation and AnchoringPortland Cement Concrete, clean and dry, unanchoredTest VehicleTypeProduction ModelDesignation2000PModel1988 Chevrolet C2500 PickupMass (kg)Curb1939Test inertial1994DummyN/AGross Static1994Impact ConditionsSpeed (km/h)51.6Angle (deg)25Impact Severity (kJ)36.6
					Exit ConditionsSpeed (km/h)N/AAngle (deg)N/AOccupant Risk ValuesImpact Velocity (m/s)x-direction5.0y-direction0.7Ridedown Accelerations (g's)x-direction-3.9y-direction-2.6European Committe for Normalization (CEN) ValuesTHIV (km/h)18.4PHD (g's)4.5ASI0.3Post-Impact Vehicular Behaviour (deg - rate gyro)Maximum Roll Angle32.4Maximum Pitch Angle-11.8Maximum Yaw Angle25.4Test Article Deflection (m)Dynamic2.7Permanent2.7Vehicle Damage (Primary Impatc)ExteriorVDSLFQ-2CDC11FLEW2InteriorVCDIAS0000000Maximum Deformation (mm)N/A**Figure 1. Summary of Results - TRITON BARRIER TL-1 Test -1-4318-001** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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