Anchorless Crash Cushion with Modular Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traffic barrier end treatments pose hazards to vehicle occupants and nearby vehicles due to potential vehicle catapulting, fragmentation, and incompatibility with barrier transfer machines (BTMs), which limits impact mitigation performance.
Innovation Solution
An anchorless crash cushion designed as a traffic barrier end treatment, comprising a nose assembly and energy-absorbing modules of varying types, constructed to prevent vehicle lift-off and minimize fragmentation, while being compatible with BTMs without compromising impact mitigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional traffic barrier end treatments are used, then impact mitigation is achieved, but vehicle occupants and nearby vehicles are exposed to hazards such as catapulting and fragmentation
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system is divided into modular components including a nose assembly, multiple energy-absorbing modules with crash cushion elements, and hinge plate assemblies. This segmentation allows controlled deformation and energy absorption while preventing uncontrolled fragmentation and vehicle catapulting.
Solution Approach 2:
Energy-absorbing modules are pre-positioned at the barrier end treatment to absorb impact energy before it reaches the main barrier structure. The crash cushion elements are designed to deform in a controlled manner during impact, cushioning the blow and preventing hazardous reactions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If moveable barrier systems are used with BTMs, then temporary barriers and lane reconfiguration are enabled, but impact mitigation performance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier end treatment is designed with features that enable both permanent installation for optimal impact mitigation and temporary deployment via BTMs. The modular design with standardized interfaces allows the same structure to serve multiple functions without compromising safety performance.
3Strength
If rigid barricades are used to prevent lateral vehicle encroachment, then traffic lane protection is achieved, but barrier end treatments create additional hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier end treatment converts the potentially harmful impact energy into beneficial controlled deformation of the crash cushion elements. The structured energy absorption mechanism transforms the hazardous impact into a controlled crushing process that protects occupants while maintaining the barrier's protective function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The crash cushion effectively arrests and slows vehicles, prevents catapulting, and reduces passenger injury risk by gradual deceleration, while maintaining compatibility with BTMs for flexible deployment.
Implementation Method 1
the crash cushion element is crushed and compacted
Implementation Method 2
energy-absorbing modules
Implementation Method 3
The interaction between the wedge incline and the incline recess drives the energy-absorbing module upward
Implementation Method 4
the crash cushion element of the second type is at least partially filled with water or other liquids
Data Source
AI summary
A crash cushion that may be used as a traffic barrier end treatment is constructed to prevent an impacting vehicle from lifting off the ground and to minimize fragmentation and that is compatible with BTMs without compromise to impact mitigation performance. The crash cushion includes a nose assembly and a number of energy-absorbing modules connected to the nose assembly and to one another in an end-to-end fashion. The energy-absorbing elements are not all identical, but instead are constructed with different features and positioned or sequenced in particular ways to achieve specific performance objectives.