Experimental and numerical study of polymeric foam efficacy in portable water filled barriers

Gover, R.B., Oloyede, A., Thambiratnam, D.P., Thiyahuddin, M.I., and Morris, A. (2015) Experimental and numerical study of polymeric foam efficacy in portable water filled barriers. International Journal of Impact Engineering , 76. 83 - 97.

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Abstract

Portable, water filled road safety barriers are used to provide protection and reduce the potential hazard due to errant vehicles in areas where the road conditions change frequently (e.g. near road work sites). As part of an effort to reduce excessive working widths typical of these systems, a study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of introducing polymeric foam filled panels into the design. Surrogate impact tests of a design typical of such as barrier system were conducted utilising a pneumatically powered horizontal impact testing machine up to impact energies of 7.40 kJ. Results of these tests are utilised to examine the barrier behaviour, in addition to being used to validate a couple FE/SPH model of the barrier system. Once validated, the FE/SPH model it utilised as the basis for a parametric study into the efficacy and effects of the inclusion of polymeric foam filled panels on the performance of portable water filled road safety barriers. It was found that extruded polystyrene foam functioned well, with a greater thickness of the foam panel significantly reducing the impacting body velocity as the barrier began to translate.

Item ID: 36818
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1879-3509
Keywords: surrogate impact testing; road safety barriers; coupled analysis; polymeric foams; smooth particle hydrodynamics
Funders: Australian Research Council (ARC), Centurion Barriers, Queensland University of Technology
Projects and Grants: ARC Linkage Grant LP1020318
Date Deposited: 19 Mar 2015 03:54
FoR Codes: 09 ENGINEERING > 0913 Mechanical Engineering > 091307 Numerical Modelling and Mechanical Characterisation @ 50%
09 ENGINEERING > 0905 Civil Engineering > 090506 Structural Engineering @ 50%
SEO Codes: 88 TRANSPORT > 8801 Ground Transport > 880109 Road Safety @ 100%
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