Bridge rail design

Current bridge rail design procedures and homographs are discussed, strength and height requirements are examined, and information is presented on vehicle characteristics and human tolerance in collisions. In this attempt to develop design criteria, information was collected and analyzed that related to accidents, vehicle characteristics, barrier configurations and heights, and the effects of curbs and sidewalks. Recommendations are made for modifications in test conditions used for evaluating the safety performance characteristics of bridge rails, and a technique is presented for interpreting deceleration levels to arrive at an estimate of the adequacy of barriers from the safety standpoint.