Longitudinal Soft Attenuator Wall

[Joewsu]

Does anyone know of websites (or companies) that feature Longitudinal Soft Attenuator Walls, that can be placed flush to barrier walls that recieve hits through a horizontal curve? Does anyone have any experience with these products? Or other options to protect vehicles...besides realignment.

My search has only found 1 such product on the internet.

 

[ACtrafficengr]

That sounds like the "soft wall" installed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I don't know if a version has been developled for highway use.

There is also the Self Restoring Barrier. That's been around for years, but I don't know if it's seen much service. I've never seen one except in photos.

"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

"I'm searching for the questions, so my answers will make sense." - Stephen Brust

 

[MikeHalloran]

I287 in NE NJ has some interesting barriers. From a distance, they look like extra large rectangular hay bales lined up along the road, stacked in courses like brick, with double courses near the road surface, in some places five rows high.

When you get closer, they appear to be made of rock, broken into fairly regular football- sized pieces, packed tightly, and neatly wrapped with galvanized chain link fence, sort of like you'd wrap a brick of cheese with nylon net, but on a grander scale.

I wouldn't call them 'soft', but there are clear witness marks where they have absorbed collision energy and been displaced. I'd guess by the number of such marks accumulated since the road opened that many will be replaced before the zinc is gone.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA