1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE. 

Washington, DC 20590 August 29, 2008 

In Reply Refer To: HSSD/B-134D 

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 system for use on the National Highway System (NHS). 

 Name of system: 12M and 4M Vulcan BarrierTM 

 Manufacturer: Energy Absorption Systems, Inc. (EASI) 

 Type of system: Portable Steel Thrie Beam Longitudinal Barrier 

 Test Level: NCHRP Report 350 TL-4 

 Testing conducted by: LIER (Inrets Road Equipment Test Laboratory, France) 

 Date of request: June 13, 2008 

You requested that we find this system acceptable for use on the NHS under the provisions of the 

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 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. The 

FHWA Memorandum “ACTION: Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety Features” of July 25, 

1997 provides further guidance on crash testing requirements of longitudinal barriers. 

Description 

The system is a portable steel longitudinal barrier intended for use as a temporary barrier in 

highway construction zones. The EASI developed the Vulcan BarrierTM to prevent vehicle 

penetration at Test Level 4 (TL-4) conditions for vehicles up to 8,000 kg with impact speeds up 

to 80 km/h (50 mph) and impact angles up to 15 degrees. The Vulcan BarrierTM segments are 

available in two lengths, 4 meter (13 feet, 1 1⁄2 inches) and 12 meter (39 feet, 4 1⁄2 inches). It 

should be noted that the FHWA initially found this same Vulcan BarrierTM acceptable as a TL-3 

barrier in our acceptance letter B-134 dated February 14, 2005, which included a successful 

crash test of a 2000p vehicle. 
2

The test installation was 70.5 m (231.3 feet) long, consisting of six 12-meter-long Vulcan 

BarrierTM units pinned together with only the leading and trailing edge segments anchored. The 

dimensions of the 4 and 12 meter Vulcan BarrierTM units are as follows: 

4m Vulcan BarrierTM 12m Vulcan BarrierTM

Height: 813 mm (32 in) 813 mm (32 in) 

Width: 546 mm (21.5 in) 546 mm (21.5 in) 

Length*: 4115 mm (162 in) 11750 mm (463 in) 

Weight: 395 kg (871 lbs) 1017 kg (2243 lbs) 

* Length measured pin to pin 

The Vulcan BarrierTM consists of multiple barrier sections pinned together using a 48 mm (OD) 

steel connecting pin. When installed in continuous straight segments, a gap-filling steel plate is 

used which further reduces lateral deflection to optimize impacting vehicle redirection. The 

stackable steel construction allows for reductions in shipping and storage space requirements. 

All steel components are hot-dipped galvanized to prevent corrosion and extend product life. 

Crash Testing 

Full-scale crash testing was conducted on the Vulcan BarrierTM. We concur that conducting two 

full-scale “capacity” EN 1317 (European Norm) tests (in addition to prior tests in the U.S.) was 

adequate to validate the performance of the system as equivalent to the NCHRP 350 TL-4. 

The first test you completed was EN 1317 Test TB11 (900kg/100kph/20 deg) which is 

comparable to NCHRP 350 Test 4-10 (820P/100kph/20 deg). The test resulted in a maximum 

permanent deflection of 0.83 m (2.72 ft) and a maximum dynamic deflection of 1.1 m (3.61 ft). 

The second test completed was EN 1317 Test TB51(H2) (13000kg/70kph/20 deg) which is 

comparable to NCHRP 350 Test 4-12 (8000S/80kph/15 deg). This test, using the heavier 

vehicle, utilized test conditions which require the test unit to withstand approximately 

117 percent greater impact severity as compared to the NCHRP 350 Test 4-12. The test resulted 

in a maximum permanent deflection of 1.97 m (6.46 ft) and a maximum dynamic deflection of 

2.4 m (7.87 ft). 

The EASI’s use of the LS-DYNATM simulation software to replicate the heavy vehicle test, as 

conducted at the LIER testing facility, provides sufficient data to show that the use of 4 meter 

Vulcan BarrierTM sections, in lieu of the tested 12 meter sections, yields negligible differences in 

maximum dynamic barrier deflection. 

Findings 

The test data sheet summarizing the results of the impacts is enclosed for reference. Based upon 

the successful completion of the aforementioned EN 1317 tests you provided, we agree that your 

4 meter and 12 meter Vulcan BarrierTM systems are acceptable for use as TL-4 longitudinal 

barriers under NCHRP 350 TL-4 conditions. The systems, as described above, may be used on 

the NHS when such use is acceptable to the contracting authority. 
3

Please note the following standard provisions that apply to the 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-134D 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 Vulcan BarriersTM 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, 

David A. Nicol, P.E. 

Director, Office of Safety Design 

Office of Safety 

Enclosures 


DRAWN: DATE:

DESIGNED: DATE:CHECKED: DATE:APPROVED: DATE:Q.C. DATE:

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES.

DIMENSIONS ACCORDING TO ASME Y14.5M-1994 UNLESS

OTHERWISE SPECIFIED.

DRAWING: 

paul.krusepaul.kruse

5/15/2008

4m Vulcan D

GAP-FILLING STEEL PLATE

RUB RAIL

CONNECTING PIN

THRIE-BEAM 

VULCAN