VEHICLE IMPACT ATTENUATION BY MODULAR CRASH CUSHION

THE MODULAR CRASH CUSHION IS AN ARRANGEMENT OF 55-GALLON TIGHT-HEAD DRUMS POSITIONED TO PROTECT MOTORISTS FROM INADVERTENTLY DRIVING INTO RIGID OBSTACLES. IT HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO FIVE FULL-SCALE CRASH TESTS BY THE HIGHWAY SAFETY RESEARCH CENTER OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE. THE PURPOSE OF THE MODULAR CRASH CUSHION IS TO STOP A MOVING VEHICLE OVER A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW A RELATIVELY LOW DECELERATION RATE (12 TO 18 FEET). THE PROPOSED DESIGNS OF THIS PROTECTIVE SYSTEM WERE SUBJECTED TO FIVE FULL-SCALE VEHICLE CRASH TESTS: TWO HEAD-ON, TWO AT AN IMPACT ANGLE OF 30 DEGREES, AND ONE AT AN IMPACT ANGLE OF 20 DEGREES. THESE TESTS SHOWED THAT THE MODULAR CRASH CUSHION WAS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN STOPPING A VEHICLE WITH ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF DECELERATION. AS A RESULT OF THESE TESTS, MODULAR CRASH CUSHIONS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AT FOUR LOCATIONS IN HOUSTON, TWO LOCATIONS IN DALLAS, AND CONTRACTS ARE BEING LET FOR ADDITIONAL INSTALLATIONS IN TEXAS AND OTHER STATES. /AUTHOR/