1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

 Washington, D.C. 20590

FHWA:HSST:WLongstreet:ms:x60087:2/1/11

File: s://directory folder/HSST/Longstreet/QuadGuard M10 MASH 

Final.dotx

cc: HSST (WLongstreet; JDewar) 

February 9, 2011

In Reply Refer To:

HSST/CC-112

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 the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

acceptance of a roadside safety device for use on the National Highway System (NHS).

Name of device: 6-bay QuadGuard® M10; and,

 6-bay QuadGuard® M10 Wide

Type of device: Impact Attenuator and Transitions

Test Level: AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) 

Test Level 3 (TL-3)

Testing conducted by: E-Tech Testing Services, Inc.

Date of request: May 3, 2010

Date of completed package: July 23, 2010

Task Force 13 Designator(s): SCI26 (M10)

SCI27 (M10 Wide)

You requested that we find these devices acceptable for use on the NHS under the provisions of 

the MASH testing standard.

Requirements

Roadside safety devices should meet the guidelines contained in the MASH. The FHWA 

Memorandum “ACTION: Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety Features” of July 24, 1997, 

provides further guidance on crash testing requirements of longitudinal barriers.

Decision

The following devices are acceptable, with details provided below:

• 6-bay QuadGuard® M10 (M10)

• 6-bay QuadGuard M10 Wide (M10W)

• QuadGuard M10 transition to W-beam 

• QuadGuard M10 transition to thrie-beam

• QuadGuard 4inch offset transition to Concrete Median Barrier
2

• QuadGuard 9inch offset transition to Concrete Median Barrier

• QuadGuard transition to vertical wall

Description

The M10 and M10W are redirective, non-gating 6-bay crash cushions. The MASH design has 

been revised from NCHRP Report 350 (Report 350) design to now include a reinforced lower 

front bracket, a new upper front bracket and new cartridge types. Features of both M10 and 

M10W systems are shown in the enclosed drawings for reference.

The M10 and M10W systems have an overall length of 22 feet, 0 inches. [6.71 m]. The M10 can 

be configured with backup widths of 24 inches [610 mm], 30 inches [762 mm], and 36 inches 

[914 mm]. The M10W can be configured with back-up widths of 69 inches [753mm] and 

90 inches [2285 mm]. The overall height of both M10 and M10W is 32 inches [817 mm]. The 

system consists of energy absorbing cartridges surrounded by a framework of steel 

Quad-BeamTM guardrail that can telescope rearward during head-on impacts. The system has a 

center monorail that will resist lateral movement during side angle impacts and a back up 

structure that will resist movement during head-on impacts. 

Components from the 5-Bay QG II unit that are used on the new 6-Bay QG M10 unit are:

1. QG foundation–anchored center Monorail

2. QG Fender Panels

3. QG Diaphragms

4. QG Backup

5. MP-3TM Concrete Anchors

6. 14ga steel wrap-around sheet metal Nose

7. 50mm [2 inches] Lower Nose Cartridge Bracket

8. 10ga steel rail guide Shims

Components that were enhanced to achieve the required performance include:

1. QG Type M-I cartridges (4 required)

2. QG Type M-II cartridges (3 required)

3. A hold down bracket was added to the nose cartridge to contain the cartridge and maximize its 

energy absorption.

4. The bottom nose cartridge bracket attached to the diaphragm was reinforced to help restrain 

the cartridge to maximize its energy absorption.

5. Transition Hardware – steel posts (only) in strong soil

System drawings are also included within this correspondence for review and reference.

Crash Testing

Full-scale crash tests were conducted into the new QG M10 as required per MASH under the 

TL-3 guidelines. For the M10 system, MASH Tests 3-31 was conducted on the 24-inch 
3

[610 mm] system and MASH Test 3-32 was conducted on the 36-inch [914 mm] system. The 

test results are as follows and can also be reviewed in enclosed MASH Test Matrix:

Test 3-31:

Impact speed = 99.0 km/h

Ridedown = -17.6 g’s

Longitudinal ΔV = 8.4 m/s

Test 3-32:

Impact speed = 97.0 km/h

Ridedown = -17.8 g’s

Longitudinal ΔV = 11.1 m/s

Due to a higher energy of the MASH test vehicles, test 3-34 and test 3-36 were conducted on the 

24-inch [610 mm] system in addition to the newly specified test 3-37. The results of these tests 

are as follows:

Test 3-34: 

Impact speed = 102.5 km/h, 

Longitudinal ridedown = -10.6 g’s

Longitudinal ΔV = 8.9 m/s

OCD: AS1020000

Test 3-36: 

Impact speed = 99.0 km/h, 

Lateral ridedown = 14.2 g’s

Lateral ΔV = 7.4 m/s

OCD: AS1110000

Test 3-37: 

Impact speed = 99.7 km/h, 

Longitudinal ridedown = 7.8 g’s

Longitudinal ΔV = -7.8m/s

OCD: LF0030000

For the M10W system, a comparison was made using existing Report 350 crash test results for 

the 5-bay QG II (flared) and original QG (parallel) systems. Since the results of these tests 

indicated that test 3-31 and 3-32 are similar for parallel and flared systems, equivalence to the 

Report 350 device in lieu of further testing of the M10W systems, with backup widths of 69-inch 

[753mm] and 90-inch is requested.

A discussion regarding the M10 and M10W transition systems was conducted with FHWA 

Office of Safety on March 16, 2010. It was agreed the M10 to W-beam transition represents a 

worst case condition for pocketing and snagging of the test vehicle. In addition and in this 

particular case, the MASH test 3-21 is considered equivalent to test 3-37. In addition, a 

successful test 3-37 would serve to represent all of the following submitted transitions with 
4

caveat that required spacing and specification of steel posts for w-beam transition must also be 

the same for M10 transition to thrie-beam to provide similar system strength:

1. Transition QG M10 to W-beam

2. Transition QG M10 to thrie-Beam

3. QG 4” offset Transition to CMB

4. QG 9” offset Transition to CMB (No wide system version)

5. Transition QG to vertical wall

6. QG 6” offset transition to single slope barrier

In addition, per MASH Section G computations (using existing tests 3-31 result), a waiver is 

requested of test 3-38 (1500A crash test).

Findings

The M10 and M10W systems meet evaluation criteria as per MASH for a redirective, non-gating 

crash cushion at TL-3 impact conditions. Therefore, these systems are acceptable for use on the 

NHS when such use is acceptable to the contracting authority. In addition, the M10 can be 

installed with aforementioned transition hardware with caveat that steel posts with a specified 

spacing are used for W-beam and thrie-beam transitions as described in test 3-37 report. Please 

note the following standard provisions that apply to the FHWA letters of acceptance:

• This acceptance is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the devices 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 device 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 device 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 

MASH.

• To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of acceptance is designated as number

CC-112, 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.

• The QuadGuard® M10 attenuators are patented products and considered proprietary. If 

proprietary devices are specified by highway agency for use on Federal-aid projects, except 

exempt, non-NHS projects, (a) they 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 
5

• 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 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,

Michael S. Griffith

Director, Office of Safety Technologies

Office of Safety 

Enclosures