Interlocking Highway Barrier with Embedded J-Hooks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current precast concrete highway barrier systems are complex, expensive, and require significant time and effort to assemble and disassemble, with existing interlocking systems like JJ Hooks® being costly and posing safety hazards during maintenance, and failing to meet newer crash test criteria.
Innovation Solution
A highway crash barrier system featuring interlocking rigid sections with longer 'J' shaped connection members and embedded rebar for enhanced stability and deflection limitation stops to improve crash performance and reduce rotational forces during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If bolted connections with looped steel bars and pins are used to maintain barrier alignment, then the barrier system stability is improved, but the device complexity and assembly time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the pin connection component from the barrier system by using embedded J-shaped hooks that are cast into the concrete sections themselves. This removes the need for separate pin hardware while maintaining the interlocking function, thereby reducing device complexity without sacrificing alignment stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection function is merged directly into the concrete barrier sections by embedding the J-shaped hooks during the concrete casting process. This integration eliminates the need for separate connection hardware and simplifies the overall system while maintaining structural stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If pin connections are used to hold barrier sections together, then the barrier system stability is improved, but the assembly and disassembly time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the pin connection mechanism and replacing it with embedded J-shaped hooks, the patent enables rapid assembly and disassembly without the time-consuming operations of inserting, securing, and removing pins, while maintaining barrier section stability through the interlocking hook design.
3Ease of operation
If traditional JJ Hooks with short rebar extension are used, then the assembly simplicity is maintained, but the crash performance and rotational force resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of rebar extension length from short (traditional JJ Hooks) to long (extending nearly the full height of the section). This parameter change significantly improves crash performance and rotational force resistance while maintaining assembly simplicity through the same J-shaped hook embedding process.
Data Source
AI summary
A highway crash barrier structure with an improved interlocking system includes a plurality of rigid sections disposed end-to-end in interlocking relationship with one another. The ends of each rigid upright section are provided with a reshaped JJ Hooks® connection. Each hook member has an extending vertical lip which is bent into a “J” shaped cross-section to engage a similar lip on the hook member of the adjacent section such that lateral movement of the respective sections is prevented. However, the respective sections of the system can be easily placed or removed by vertically displacing them. In addition, the interlocking plates at each end of the upright sections are vertically lengthened while the number of bars welded to the plate is increased to reduce the rotational moment of the sections and increase shear transfer between adjacent sections. Furthermore, connections include deflection limitation stops located at the lower part of each end of each upright section which prevents spalling and decreases deflection during a crash. The deflection stops can be positioned wholly within the rigid sections or can protrude partway out the bottom of the sections for particular applications.