September 7, 2004 

 

Refer to: HSA-10/B-69A 

Owen S. Denman, P.E.

President

Barrier Systems, Incorporated

180 River Road

Rio Vista, California 94571-1208

Dear Mr. Denman: 

In June 2000, the Federal Highway Administration accepted your Reactive Tension System 

(RTS) using either steel-clad or concrete Quickchange Moveable Barrier (QMB) segments as a 

longitudinal traffic barrier at NCHRP Report 350 test level 3 (TL-3). This acceptance was based 

on tests conducted on straight sections of barrier. 

With your August 23, 2004 letter, you submitted a test report prepared by Safe Technologies, 

Inc. entitled “Barrier Systems, Inc., Concrete Reactive Tension System – Quickchange 

Moveable Barrier, STI Project QBOR1” which described the impact of a pickup truck at a 

nominal impact speed of 100 km/h and at a 25-degree angle into a concrete RTS-QMB system 

installed on a 

30-m (100-foot) radius, such as might be found on a freeway off ramp from a major highway. In 

this test, the barrier was anchored at its upstream end and deflected 67.3 cm (26.5 inches). Your 

recommended anchorage design and a summary of the test results are enclosed. 

Based on the information you provided, I concur that the RTS-QMB, with either steel or 

concrete segments, meets the evaluation criteria for a TL-3 barrier when installed as tested along 

a radius as short as 30 m (100 feet) and may be used on the National Highway System. To be 

fully effective along its entire length, the installation must be anchored at both ends as you 

recommend, the approach end must be adequately shielded, and the barrier must be able to move 

freely up to its design deflection without butting up against a curb or similar obstruction. 

Sincerely yours, 

 

 /Original Signed by Hari Kalla/ 

~for~ 

John R. Baxter, P.E. 

 Director, Office of Safety Design 

 Office of Safety 

Enclosure 
Barrier Systems, Inc. 

RTS-QMB Longitudinal Barrier 

STI Project:  QBOR1 Page 12 of 40 

Figure 1. Summary of Results-Test #QBOR1 

t=0.000 sec t=.100sec t=.200sec t=.400sec t=.500sec t= 1.0sec

General Information Exit Conditions

 Test Agency................................................SAFE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Speed (km/h)................................................n/a

 Test Designation.......................................... NCHRP Report 350 Test 3-11 Angle (deg)...................................................n/a Test No...................................................... QBOR1 Occupant risk Values Date.......................................................... 4/9/2004 Impact Velocity (m/s)

Test Article x-direction.............................................8.4

 Type.......................................................... Barrier Systems, Inc. y-direction.............................................-7.7

18" CRTS/QMB Longitudinal Barrier Ridedown Acceleration (g's)

Installation Length....................................... 115 meters overall x-direction.............................................-10.9

 Size and/or dimension and material y-direction.............................................17.2 of key elements........................................... CRTS Section length 1000mm, height 813mm, THIV (km/h).......................................... 37.1

width 610mm, mass 726 kg. PHD (g's)....................................................17.3

Test Vehicle ASI......................................................... 1.6

 Type.........................................................Production Model Test Article Deflection (mm)

 Designation................................................2000 kg Dynamic...................................................673

 Model....................................................... 1981 Chevrolet 3/4 Ton Pick-up Permanent................................................673 Mass (kg) Vehicle Damage Curb.....................................................2025 Exterior

 Test Inertial........................................... 1995 VDS......................................................LFQ-4

 Dummy(s).............................................n/a CDC......................................................11FLEE4 Gross Static.......................................... 1995 Interior

Impact Conditions OCDI...................................................LF0020000

 Speed (km/h).............................................101.5

 Angle (deg)............................................... 25Impact Severity (kJ) ...................................... 141.6

 Page 12 of 54

STI Project:

 QBOR1

Barrier Systems, Inc.

RTS-QMB Safety Barrier
Barrier Systems, Inc. 

RTS-QMB Longitudinal Barrier 

STI Project: 

 QBOR1 Page 38 of 40 

 

 

Figure F-3 

Appendix F (Continued)