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                Safety Eligibility Letter B-170B
  
  **Hardware Type:**
            Longitudinal Barriers and Bridge Rails
                          **Code:**
            B-170B
                          **Date:**
            09/14/2009
                          **Testing Criteria:**
            NCHRP 350
                          **Manufacturer:**
            South Carolina Department of Transportation
                          **Device Description:**
            Temporary Concrete Barrier Wall and Anchorage TL-3
                          **View PDF:**
            b170b.pdf (918.21 KB)
    
    Safety Eligibility Letter B-170B


			 
			**Download Version**PDF [436 KB]
			
			DOT logoU.S. Department of Transportation**Federal Highway Administration**
			1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.Washington, D.C. 20590
			September 14, 2009
			In Reply Refer To: HSSD/B-170B
			
			Mr. Donald  S. Turner
            	Traffic  Safety and Design Engineer
                South  Carolina Department of Transportation
                P.O. Box 191
                Columbia,  SC 29202-0191
            Dear  Mr. Turner :
            This letter is in response to your most recent request for the  Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) acceptance of a roadside safety system  for use on the National Highway System (NHS). Related to this request is the existing FHWA  Acceptance Letter B-170A requesting the South  Carolina’s DOT (SCDOT) immediate attention regarding issues that  rendered Acceptance Letter B-170 inadequate.  Since your current submission has addressed these issues, your request is that we find the following 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.”
            Name of system:
                	South Carolina DOT (SCDOT) Temporary  Concrete BarrierType of system:
                	Temporary Concrete Barrier Wall and AnchorageTest Level:
                	NCHRP Report 350 Test Level 3 (TL-3)Testing conducted by:
                	Acceptance via Equivalence and  Computational Analysis conducted by   South Carolina Department of  TransportationSystem Designator:SWC13Date of request:July 27, 2009**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.
            Recovery.gov Logo
            **Description**The  SCDOT concrete bridge barrier (barrier) is a temporary barrier system that  incorporates temporary anchorage. The  barrier is 32 inches high, 6 inches wide at the top, and 24 inches wide at the  base. The barrier is a New Jersey profile  concrete barrier that was successfully crash tested per NCHRP Report 350 and  accepted on NHS highways as per Acceptance Letter B-98 as a free standing  barrier. The current request for  anchored barrier required revised reinforcement as per the attached design  computation and specifications. In  addition the specified anchor system(s) for this  temporary barrier are as follows:
            As specified in FHWA B-5, except generic and non-proprietary materials shall be specified. The anchors will be 16 inch long and 1 inch diameter A449 fully threaded galvanized rods. Each 10 foot section of temporary concrete barrier will be anchored on the traffic side with five (5) anchors. The anchor rods will pass through a slot fabricated into the barrier wall and inserted into a 1 1/8-inch diameter hole 6-1/2 inches deep into the concrete bridge deck. Each anchor will be secured in the anchor hole with a two-component  epoxy-resin bonding agent. Drawings  illustrating the temporary concrete  barrier  with the anchorage system are as per FHWA B-5, as are the epoxy grouting  specifications.
                As specified through-bolt anchor system design  computation as attached to this correspondence that utilizes variable length 1-inch  diameter A449 fully threaded galvanized bolts for  anchors. Each 10-foot section of barrier  wall will be anchored on the traffic side with five (5) anchors. The anchor bolt will pass from underneath the  bridge deck through a barrier washer, the bridge deck via a typical 1 1/8-inch diameter  hole drilled through the bridge deck, a slot fabricated into the barrier wall,  a second barrier washer, and a heavy hex nut. To secure each anchor, tighten the nut of the  anchor system snug and peen the threads of the anchor bolt to prevent back  turning of the nut. Repeat this  procedure for each anchor.**Findings**We concur that based upon equivalence and computation the SCDOT  Temporary Concrete Barrier 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-3 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-170B  and shall not be reproduced except in full. This letter and attached computational  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
							Director, Office of Safety Design
							Office of SafetyEnclosures U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

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