Citation

Jung FW. Transp. Res. Rec. 1977; 631: 76-81.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This report describes a Texas type, steel-barrel trailer developed by the Highway Wayside-Equipment Research Office and the Equipment Office of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications. When attached to a sign truck, the trailer provides maximum crash protection for occupants of impacting automobiles in rear collisions at impact speeds of up to 100 km/h (60 mph). This means that restrained occupants will survive such collisions without serious injuries. (Crash protection is expected to be somewhat less for angular impacts.) The trailer can be towed at traveling speed and backed up at slow speed on a closed traffic lane. For full protection of a working crew, the trailer should be attached to the kind of heavy sign truck that is presently used in maintenance operations. Although the trailer is an extra piece of equipment and requires special driver skill in backing, it is recommended for use on high-speed highways with high traffic volumes, expressways, or freeways. The trailer reduces impact severity considerably and is more effective than nontrailer attachments at impact speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph) or less. The first prototype tried on the road has been involved in two collisions. In both instances, the impact attenuation and redirectional capabilities of the steel barrels were sufficient to prevent injuries. The connections between the barrel modules, which were originally welded, now consist of bolts and hard rubber spacers and are still being developed.