Midwest States Pooled Fund Research Program – Overview

& Success StoriesRonald K. Faller, Ph.D., P.E.Director

Midwest Roadside Safety FacilityNebraska Transportation CenterUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln

2017 National Research Advisory Committee (RAC) and TRB State Representatives MeetingLouisville, Kentucky

July 26, 2017

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MwRSF History• 1974 – Roadside safety research began at UNL• 1990 – Midwest States Regional Pooled Fund Program

Year 1 Funding• 1998 – Partnership w/ IRL & IMS to conduct safety research• 1999-2003 – Midwest Guardrail System developed• 2002 – First SAFER Barrier at Indy 500• 2008 – MASH-08 (2009) published [Revised in 2016]• 2009 – ISO 17025 Accredited Laboratory• 2013 – Partnership w/ DOD agencies to conduct transportation

safety & threat mitigation R&D• 2017 – Year 28 Midwest States Pooled Fund Program

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Sample MwRSF Research Sponsors• Midwest States Pooled Fund Program (28 Years)• State DOTs, Canadian Provinces, & Tollways• USDOT, FHWA, & Federal Lands Highway Division• USDA - Forest Service - Forest Products Laboratory• NCHRP & AASHTO• Motorsports Industry (NASCAR, IMS, & IndyCar)• U.S. DOD, USACE, TRANSCOM, & USSTRATCOM• Private Industry (U.S. & International)• University Research Centers (MATC & SWZDI)

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

Midwest States Pooled Fund Program• Partnership between State DOTs & MwRSF/UNL• Annual Research Funding based on member state priorities

• Initial Program Objectives: address roadside safety needs of regional state DOTs solve problems of similar interest standardize roadside safety features across state borders provide sustainable funding & continuity to MwRSF/UNL

research program

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

MSPFP Overview• Year 1 – 3 Member States (1990-1991) Solicitation No. 894 [SPR-3(017)] Kansas, Missouri, & Nebraska three bridge rail crash testing projects ($161,937) members funded additional R&D projects

• Year 28 - 16 Member States (2017-2020) Solicitation No. 1216 [TPF-5(193)] California, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,

Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, & Wyoming

seven projects, including MASH compliance testing programs (≈ $1,026,800)

members may fund additional R&D projects

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

MSPFP Observed Benefits• Pooled Fund members & U.S.:

numerous roadside safety devices developed, improved, & implementedacross U.S. highways & roadways

new & improved design guidelines for State DOTs & AASHTO’sRoadside Design Guide

improved roadside safety progress in reducing fatal & serious injury crashes

• Pooled Fund members: increased knowledge to address roadside safety problems formulate national roadside safety priorities & guide solutions serve on key AASHTO, TRB, & NCHRP committees & panels

• MwRSF-UNL: increased technical expertise & knowledge of roadside safety design research funding to support, educate, & train new engineers

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Example Success Story• Corrugated-beam guardrail in use 50+yrs 12-gauge rail @ 27-in. height (later ≈27¾”) 8-in. deep offset block wood/steel posts @ 6 ft – 3 in. centers

• Early designs intended for full-size sedans & small cars

• Degraded performance for high c.g. vehicles, such as light trucks, vans, & SUVs

• Need existed to improve barrier performance for changing vehicle fleet

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

G4(1s) Strong-Post W-Beam Guardrail• Vehicle rollover w/ pickup trucks & vans• Rail rupture for some guardrail-curb combinations• Pavement overlays & construction tolerances

1,963 kg / 95.3 kph / 24.0 deg 2,075 kg /101.4 kph / 26.1 deg

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Midwest Guardrail System (MGS)

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• 31 in. tall & 40-in. embedment depth• 12-in. deep blockouts• Rail splices at midspans• 6-ft 3-in. post spacing w/ W6x9s

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

Midwest Guardrail System (MGS)

887 kg / 102.9 kph / 20.0 deg 1,986 kg / 98.1 kph / 25.6 deg

• Originally tested @ TL-3 of NCHRP Report No. 350• Later tested @ TL-3 of AASHTO MASH• Improved performance @ 31 in. vs. 27 in.

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MGS Design Variations & Studies

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• Full-, ½-, & ¼-Post Spacing• Investigation of Alternative Post Types & Materials

▪ steel W6x9 & W6x8.5▪ wood 6”x8” SYP & WP▪ round SYP, DF, & PP▪ steel S3x5.7 @ 3’-1½” c-c

• Maximum Guardrail Height• Minimum System Length• Maximum Flare Rate• Maximum Approach Slope• MGS w/ Posts @ SBP of 1V:2H Fill Slope• MGS w/ Posts @ SBP of 1V:3H Fill Slope on Wire-

Faced MSE Walls

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MGS Design Variations & Studies (cont’d)

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• MGS w/ Non-Blocked, Steel-Post Options• MGS Trailing-End Terminal or Downstream

Anchorage System (Wood Posts & Steel Posts)• MGS Bridge Railing w/ S3x5.7 Posts @ 3’-1½” c-c• MGS Culvert Applications

▪ W6x9 or W6x8.5 posts @ 3’-1½” c-c mounted on top slab▪ S3x5.7 posts @ 3’-1½” c-c in exterior-mounted sockets on

headwall▪ S3x5.7 posts @ 3’-1½” c-c in interior-mounted sockets on

top slab▪ S3x5.7 posts @ 3’-1½” c-c in asphalt & concrete mow

strips▪ breakaway wood posts adjacent to 25’ unsupported span

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MGS Design Variations & Studies (cont’d)

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• MGS Placed Near Luminaire Poles• MGS Simplified Stiffness Transition to Thrie Beam

AGTs w/ & w/o Curbs▪ asymmetric w-beam to thrie beam segment

• MGS Transition to PCBs (work-zone application)• MGS Placed Behind 6” tall AASHTO Type B Curb• TL-2 & TL-3 Alternative Curb Placement Studies• MGS w/ One Omitted Post• MGS w/ One Omitted Post & Placed Behind 6” tall

AASHTO Type B Curb

Midwest Roadside Safety FacilityMGS w/ ¼-Post Spacing

Midwest Guardrail System(Standard Post Spacing & 152-mm Type B Curb)

NPG-5

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5:1 Flare Rate- 65.1 mph- 4440 lbs- 36.8 deg

Eff. Flare Rate = 4.0:1

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Non-Blocked W-Beam Guardrail on Wire-Faced MSE Wall

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Test No. MGSGW-2 (2270P)

65.3 mph & 25.1 deg5,169-lb Dodge Ram

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Test No. MGSBR-15,174-lb Dodge QuadCab61.9 mph & 24.9 degreesD.D. = 49 in.

MGS Bridge Rail (MASH TL-3)

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MGS Long-Span Culvert System

- 25-ft unsupported length- uses breakaway wood posts

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Test LSC-22,261 kg / 99.6 kph / 24.9 deg

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

MGS Placed Near Luminaire Pole (ILT-1)

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Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

MGS to PCB Transition

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Test No. MGSPCB-1designation no. 3-21

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

MGS Stiffness Transition w/ Curb

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Original vs. Nested Systems

Test No. MWTC-1Single W-beam Rail

Test No. MWTC-2Nested W-beam Rail

Midwest Roadside Safety Facility

Test No. MWTC-3 (MASH 3-21)

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Questions?