Patent ID: 8215619

Claim:
A guardrail assembly comprising: a first rail section comprising an upstream end portion, a downstream end portion and a first side; a second rail section comprising an upstream end portion, a downstream end portion and a second side, wherein said upstream end portion of said second rail section overlaps with and is secured to said downstream end portion of said first rail section with said first and second sides facing each other, and wherein said first rail section is moveable relative to said second rail section from a pre-impact position to an impact position in response to an axial impact to the guardrail assembly; a deforming member secured to said upstream end portion of said second rail section and extending laterally from said second side, wherein said deforming member engages said first side and laterally deforms said first rail section as said first rail section is moved relative to said second rail section from said pre-impact position to said impact position; and a support plate disposed adjacent a second side of said first rail section opposite said first side, and a plurality of fasteners securing said support plate to said first and second rail sections, wherein said deformed first rail section biases said support plate laterally such that a tensile force is applied to at least some of said plurality of fasteners as said first rail section is moved relative to said second rail section from said pre-impact position to said impact position.