EP2383390A2 - Rigid or very low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads - Google Patents

Rigid or very low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP2383390A2
EP2383390A2 EP10015723A EP10015723A EP2383390A2 EP 2383390 A2 EP2383390 A2 EP 2383390A2 EP 10015723 A EP10015723 A EP 10015723A EP 10015723 A EP10015723 A EP 10015723A EP 2383390 A2 EP2383390 A2 EP 2383390A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
separator
post
fence
barrier
rigid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP10015723A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Antonio Amengual Pericas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hierros y Aplanaciones SA
Original Assignee
Hierros y Aplanaciones SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hierros y Aplanaciones SA filed Critical Hierros y Aplanaciones SA
Publication of EP2383390A2 publication Critical patent/EP2383390A2/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
    • E01F15/00—Safety arrangements for slowing, redirecting or stopping errant vehicles, e.g. guard posts or bollards; Arrangements for reducing damage to roadside structures due to vehicular impact
    • E01F15/02—Continuous barriers extending along roads or between traffic lanes
    • E01F15/04—Continuous barriers extending along roads or between traffic lanes essentially made of longitudinal beams or rigid strips supported above ground at spaced points
    • E01F15/0407—Metal rails
    • E01F15/0438—Spacers between rails and posts, e.g. energy-absorbing means

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a rigid or low deformity separator device, of large span, applicable as a connection element between a continuous horizontal fence, beam or rail and the vertical support post of a metal safety barrier for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is fitted to the barrier attaching the central face of the separator to a side face of the post, the special configuration of which means that the fence is raised up to the degree that a vehicle impacts against the metal barrier and thus conferring on said metal barrier the capacity to efficiently contain in turn heavy and light vehicles.
  • vehicle containment systems there exist in practice different types of vehicle containment systems, these being understood as any device installed on the side or central reservation of a road with the aim of providing retention and redirecting of any vehicle that goes out of control and leaves the road erratically, reducing in this way the severity of the accidents that are produced, so as to limit injuries and lesions both for its occupants and for other road users as well as other persons or objects in the vicinity.
  • One of the most widely used type of containment systems are metal safety barriers, used on the sides and central reservations of roads.
  • the purpose of these systems is to reduce side impacts of vehicles, preventing them from traversing them and thereby guaranteeing the protection of other people on the one hand and, on the other, permitting the controlled redirection and deceleration of the vehicle, such that It comes out of the impact stably and continues in motion at a reduce speed alongside the containment system following the original direction of the traffic. In this way, it guarantees the safety of the vehicle occupants and of other road users.
  • a containment system satisfactorily complies with a real-scale collision test when all the acceptance requisites and criteria defined in the standard are met, in particular, for the level of containment, severity of the impact, deformation and angle of exit, thereby guaranteeing certain adequate safety conditions, primarily for the occupants of the impacted vehicle and for other road users. It is then affirmed that a containment system has the capacity to adequately contain a certain standard vehicle.
  • a safety barrier When a safety barrier is capable of containing heavy vehicles (lorries and coaches), as well as light vehicles or cars, it is said that the safety barrier is of the high containment type. If, moreover, the heavy vehicles that are contained are very heavy (30 tons or more) rigid or articulated lorries with a very high centre of mass (above 1.6 m) then it is said that the barriers are of the very high containment type. Obviously, by definition of containment, very high containment barriers are also high containment barriers.
  • a high containment system (specifically designed for receiving the collision of heavy vehicles such as lorries and coaches) has to pass the real-scale collision tests, both for heavy vehicles (lorries and coaches) and for light vehicles (light cars).
  • This allows the high containment system to also guarantee the safety of the lightest vehicles, which constitute the most frequent kind of accident.
  • the high containment level H1 requires passing test TB42 (impact of a lorry weighing 10,000 kg, at a speed of 70 km/h and with a collision angle of 15°) and test TB11 (impact of a light car weighing 900 kg, at a speed of 100 km/h and with a collision angle against the containment system of 20°).
  • the basic configuration of metal safety barriers corresponds to the joining of two basic metallic elements and optionally another two, the third and fourth.
  • the different components forming a metal safety barrier are fitted together, normally by means of screw type unions, in other words, those formed from a screw or bolt with a thread, an internally threaded sealing nut and one or more washers.
  • Safety barriers In metal safety barriers, all the constituent elements generally have the capacity to react in a similar way, and as a whole, by means of deformation, in the event of an impact whether from a light vehicle or a heavy one.
  • Safety barriers can be designed to resist impacts solely from cars, and are then known as normal containment systems, or for also containing impacts from heavy vehicles as well (lorries and coaches) and are known as high and very high containment systems.
  • High and very high containment safety barriers generally present functioning mechanisms capable of responding adequately both to the impact of a light vehicle (low weight and small dimensions, with a centre of gravity located relatively low down) as well as to the Impact of a heavy vehicle (large weight and large dimensions, with a centre of gravity located relatively high up).
  • the success of the design of such barriers consists precisely of the commitment to achieve good performance, with the same barrier, with regard to these two types of impact - light vehicle or car and heavy vehicle - that are so different.
  • the separator performs the same function with regard to the height of the fence on contact with the vehicle described above (the fence also rises up on contact with the car), though in this case the risk of breaching and/or overturning due to the difference in height between the centre of mass of the car and the barrier is much less.
  • the separator performs a second "spacer" function, preventing the front wheels of the car from coming into direct contact with the base of the post (prior to its release from the fence) and becoming ensnared in it.
  • the vertical support post In a high containment barrier the vertical support post usually has a rigidity (determined by the inertia of its straight section) that would be excessive if the post were to become caught up in the wheel of a car and would cause it to undergo severe deceleration and strong destabilization.
  • the posts of the metal barriers with a European type separator usually have "C", "U” or “Sigma” shaped cross-sections in such a way that that central face or back of the separator (which, once fitted to the barrier, remains in the vertical position) rests against the side face of the post corresponding to the core, back or central face of the "C", "U” or “Sigma” shaped cross-sections of that post. If the post has a solid or tubular rectangular cross-section, which is fairly infrequent with the European type separator, then the separator is laterally coupled to one of the side faces of the post, Some metal barriers incorporate an additional element for connection between the European type separator and the post, commonly known as a connector.
  • This latter element permits coupling of a European type separator to posts with "I” or “H” shaped cross-sections or the lateral coupling of the European type separator in a post of "U", “C” or “sigma” cross-section in the side face of the post opposite its central face or core.
  • High containment metal barriers have to maintain adequate contact with the fence or fences both for heavy vehicles with high centres of masses (above 1.4 m) and for light cars whose centre of mass is located at approximately 0.5 m above ground level. If the fence of the barrier is located too high above ground level, the containment of a heavy vehicle is favoured but a light vehicle could be severely penalized and, on impact, it could "lift up" the fence with its front part and pass underneath it, with which there would be no containment, nor redirection, and the fence could aggressively penetrate into the cabin of the car.
  • the high containment metal safety barriers usually adopt three alternative solutions:
  • the third alternative (iii) represents the most advantageous solution for a high containment barrier (though not for a very high containment barrier).
  • said solution (iii) presents a drawback that becomes a genuine problem when one seeks to achieve a significant "raising" of the fence, during the impact of a heavy vehicle, by means of incorporating a large span European separator (e.g., a separator whose width with respect to the front face of the post is greater than 0,3 m).
  • the mechanism of alternative (iii) by which, during a certain initial part of the impact, the separator "rotates" upwards with respect to the post means that, as the impact of the heavy vehicle progresses, the angle between separator and post (which was initially a right angle) increases and the perpendicularity between the two is progressively lost.
  • the transmission of the horizontal forces of the impact of the vehicle against the barrier from the separator to the post, which forces the latter to bend backwards decreases as the separator rotates upwards.
  • the transmission of horizontal forces is optimum when the separator is kept perpendicular to the post but becomes lost as the angle between the two increases starting from the initial right angle.
  • This phenomenon acts to the detriment of the deformation capacity of the post, which in this way does not "exhaust” that capacity before achieving the fusibility point when the separator and the fence become completely detached from the post and the stresses of the impact are transmitted to the adjacent post. This reduction in the deformation capacity will be greater the more rigid the post is.
  • the arrangement of a continuous horizontal stay via the rear part of the separator compensates for part of the torsion moment in the head of the post and is normally effective for small or medium spans of the separator, but it is insufficient when the span of the separator is large.
  • Said uncompensated torsion moment causes the separator to tend to rotate around the vertical axis of the post in the direction of the impact, until it breaks or becomes undesirably decoupled from the post (in which case neither the separator nor the post are functioning according to the purpose for which they were designed).
  • the present invention provides a novel European type separator, in other words, a separator arranged in the barrier between the fence and the post with its longitudinal axis horizontal or slightly inclined and perpendicular to the barrier, being attached via its central face or core to a side face of the post, rigid or low deformity, of large horizontal span, configured in such a way that, once the separator has been fitted in the safety barrier, one or several parts thereof remain in contact with or very close to the front face of the post, along the width of all or part of said front face of the post, in such a way that the entire high containment barrier incorporating this separator maintains the advantages deriving from the use of a single fence of small or medium width, such as the universally used double wave profile, and at the same time solves the drawbacks deriving from the use of a rigid large span separator.
  • the main novelty of this is that it presents a constituent part which, once the separator has been fitted to the barrier, remains in contact with or very close to the front (forward) face of the post in such a way that, when a heavy vehicle impact against the barrier laterally or obliquely, said part of the separator rests against the front face of the post (which in turn becomes deformed, being bent or rotating backwards), said part acting as a "buffer” and “levering" the separator against the post, thereby causing the height of the fence to increase as the post is deformed or bent backwards, and in turn managing to maintain the perpendicularity between the separator and the post, until the fusibility point is reached.
  • the separator becomes detached from the post and the combination of the fence and separator is released from the post, once the latter has exhausted its deformation capacity.
  • the aforesaid part of the separator by resting against the front or forward face of the post, also acts as a "buffer” or brake to the possible rotation of the separator around the post, originated by the obliquity of the impact and the "arm" effect of the separator. Said separator therefore provides the following significant technical advantages:
  • the European type separator (3) forming the object of the present invention is applied to high containment metal safety barriers, interposed between the rail or fence (1), preferably comprising a profile of small or medium width such as the double wave profile, and the vertical support post (2), with a total height of the barrier appreciably lower than the centre of mass (G) of the heavy vehicle which, by design, the barrier has to contain, as shown in FIGURE 1 .
  • Said rigid or low deformity separator (3) is formed from a metal bar of straight cross-section preferably in the shape of a "C", "U” or “Z” with its longitudinal axis arranged horizontally once the separator is Installed in the barrier, frontally coupled to the fence (1) via its forward part, by means of a flange (16) of the separator and with suitable means of attachment (6) and laterally coupled to the post (2) of the barrier via its rear part, with the central core, back or face (11) of the separator (3) supported on the side or central face (9) of the post (2) and joined to it by means of suitable means of attachment (7), as shown in FIGURE 2 , FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4 ,
  • the European type separator (3) described above can incorporate a flange (17) in its rear part intended for securing the separator with a continuous horizontal rear stay, as shown in FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4 .
  • the characteristic that is the object of the present invention consists of the fact that the separator (3) described above presents a constituent part (5) thereof that is shaped, orientated and arranged in such a manner that once the separator is fitted to the barrier, said part (5) remains in contact with or very close to the forward or front face (8) of the post (2), along the width of all of part of it.
  • FIGURE 8 shows the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height (adapted for containment of cars) and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which lacks the characteristic of the invention.
  • FIGURE 9 shows us the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which presents the characteristic of the invention.
  • the "buffer” and “levering” effect of the part (5) of the separator (3) against the forward face (8) of the post (2) not only prevents the "nodding” downwards of the separator (3), it also maintains the perpendicularity between it and the post as the latter is bent backwards and produces the raising of the fence (1) which, in this way, is capable of containing the heavy vehicle and redirecting it properly.
  • the post exhausts its contribution to the functioning of the barrier as a whole, the release of the union between separator and post is produced by design (fusibility phenomenon) and the fence (1) comes to function as a cable fixed in the unreleased adjacent posts.
  • the part (5) of the separator (3) comprising the characteristic of the invention also prevents rotation of the separator in the horizontal plane around the vertical axis of the post during the impact, as a consequence of the moment generated by the obliquity of it with respect to the alignment of the barrier and the large span of the separator, which has not been able to be compensated for by other structural elements, such as unions with the post, the lateral support on the post or a rear stay.
  • Such an arrangement can be clearly seen in FIGURE 3 .
  • FIGURE 2 shows a form of embodiment of the separator (3) with the characteristic forming the object of the invention.
  • the separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a straight cross-section in the shape of a "Z" arranged in the barrier with its longitudinal axis horizontal (or very slightly inclined) and perpendicular to the alignment of the barrier, with the front face or core (11) of the separator (3) in the vertical position and the wings (5) (12) appreciably perpendicular to it, laterally coupled to the post with the rear part of the central face or core (11) of the separator (3) fully supported in the central face or back (9) of the post (2) and fixed to it by means of appropriate attachments (7).
  • the lower wing (5) of the separator (3) is orientated towards the post (2) in such a way that the rear edge thereof (18) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face or front wing (8) of the post, along the width of all or part of it, and the upper wing (12) is orientated In the opposite direction to the lower one (5), with a forward flange (16) appreciably vertical to the central face (11) of the separator for the fastening of the fence (1) to it (3) with suitable means of attachment, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 .
  • the length of the upper wing (12) covers the entire width of the separator (3) while that of the lower wing (5) is shorter, since it has to span the position of the cross-section of the post once the separator has been fitted in the barrier, as can be seen in FIGURE 3 .
  • the rear edge (18) of the lower wing (5) of the separator (3) is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the buffer and levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
  • FIGURE 5 shows some constructional variations to the separator with a "Z" shaped cross-section described above: either in the shape of a "Z" without flanges, just with a central face or core (11), a lower wing (5) and an upper wing (12), or in the shape of a "Z” with flanges (13) (14) in the lower (5) and upper (12) wings, respectively, or alternating one wing, upper or lower, with a flange and the other without.
  • Said separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a "U" shaped straight cross-section arranged in the barrier with its longitudinal axis horizontal (or very slightly inclined) and perpendicular to the alignment of the barrier, with the front face or core of the separator (3) in the vertical position and the upper and lower wings appreciably perpendicular to it, laterally coupled to the post with the rear part of the central face or core of the separator (3) fully supported in the central face or back (9) of the post (2) and fixed to it by means of appropriate attachments (7), with both the upper and lower wing orientated in the same direction (opposite to the post) and an additional structural element (15) preferably in the form of a plate, angle bracket, tube, stud, etc., arranged in the separator (3) so that the edge (18) or rear part thereof (15) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face (8) of the post, along the width of
  • the additional element (15) consists of a flat place integrally attached to the lower wing (5) of the separator (3) in such a way that, once the separator has been fitted to the barrier, the rear edge (18) of said plate (15) remains very close to or in contact with the forward face or front wing (8) of the post (2).
  • This plate (15) can also be shaped as angle bracket or tubular bar, or a round bar.
  • the additional element (15) consists of an angle bracket integrally attached to the core or central face (11) of the separator (3) in such a way that, once the separator has been fitted to the barrier, one face of said angle bracket (15) remains very close to or in contact with the forward face or front wing (8) of the post (2).
  • This angle bracket (15) can also be shaped as a tubular bar or a round bar.
  • the edge (18) or rear part of the additional element (15) of the separator (3) is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the buffer and levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
  • Figure 1 shows a European type separator (3) which is applied to high containment metal safety barriers, interposed between the rail or fence (1), preferably comprising a profile of small or medium width such as the double wave profile, and the vertical support post (2); the total height of the barrier being appreciably less than the centre of mass (G) of the heavy vehicle which the barrier has to contain by design.
  • the rigid or low deformity separator (3) of the alternatives described below is formed from a metal bar of straight cross-section preferably in the shape of a "C", "U” or “Z” with its longitudinal axis arranged horizontally once the separator is installed in the barrier, frontally coupled to the fence (1) via its forward part, by means of a flange (16) of the separator and with suitable means of attachment (6) and laterally coupled to the post (2) of the barrier via its rear part, with the central core, back or face (11) of the separator supported on the side or central face (9) of the post (2) and joined to it by means of suitable means of attachment (7).
  • the European type separator (3)- forming the object of the constructional alternatives described below incorporates a flange (17) in its rear part intended for securing the separator with a continuous horizontal rear stay.
  • a part (5) characteristic of the separator described below is shaped, orientated and arranged in such a manner that once the separator is fitted to the barrier, said part (5) remains in contact with or very close to the forward or front face (8) of the post (2), along the width of all of part of it.
  • the part (5) of the separator (3) When making contact with the forward face (8) of the post (2), the part (5) of the separator (3) also prevents rotation of the separator around the vertical axis of the post during the impact, as a consequence of the moment generated by the obliquity of it with respect to the alignment of the barrier and the large span of the separator, which has not been able to be compensated for by other structural elements, such as unions with the post, the lateral support on the post or a rear stay.
  • Such an arrangement can be clearly seen in figure 3 .
  • Figure 2 shows a form of embodiment in which the separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a "Z" shaped straight cross-section, with the rear part of the central face or core (11) of the separator laterally adjacent to the central face or back (9) of the post and fixed to it by means of appropriate attachments (7), with the lower wing (5) orientated towards the post (2) in such a way that the rear edge thereof (18) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face or front wing (8) of the post, along the width of ail or part of it, with the upper wing (12) orientated in the opposite direction to the lower one (5) and a forward flange (16) for fastening to the fence (1) with suitable means of attachment (6), as shown in figures 3 and 4 .
  • the length of the upper wing (12) covers the entire width of the separator (3) while that of the lower wing (5) is shorter, since it has to span the position of the cross-section of the post once the separator has been fitted in the barrier, as can be seen in figure 3 .
  • the rear edge (18) of the lower wing (5) of the separator (3) is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
  • Figure 5 shows some constructional variations to the separator with a "Z" shaped cross-section described above: either in the shape of a "Z" without flanges, just with a central face or core (11), a lower wing (5) and an upper wing (12), or in the shape of a "Z” with flanges (13) (14) in the lower (5) and upper (12) wings, respectively, or alternating one wing, upper or lower, with a flange and the other without.
  • the separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a "U" shaped straight cross-section, with the rear part of the central face or core (11) of the separator (3) laterally adjacent to the central face or back (9) of the post (2) and fixed to It by means of appropriate attachments (7), with both the lower (5) and upper (12) wing orientated in the same direction (opposite to the post) and an additional structural element (15) preferably in the form of an angle bracket, plate, tube, stud, etc., arranged in the separator (3) in such a way that the rear edge (18) thereof remains in contact with or very close to the forward face (8) of the post, along the width of all or part of it and a forward flange (16) for the fastening of the latter to the fence (1) by suitable means of attachment (6).
  • the edge or rear part (18) of the lower additional element (15) of the separator (3) is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
  • Figure 7 shows some constructional variations of the separator in the shape of a "U” or “C” described above: either in the shape of a "U” without flanges, just with a central face or core (11), a lower wing (5) and an upper wing (12) and with an additional element (15) either in the form of a plate or in the form of an angle bracket, or with a separator (3) of straight cross-section in the shape of a "C", in other words, with a flanges (13) (14) In the lower (5) and upper (12) wings, respectively, and with an additional element (15) in the form of a plate or an angle bracket.
  • Figure 8 shows the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which lacks the characteristic of the invention
  • figure 9 shows us the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which presents the characteristic of the invention.
  • the "levering" effect of the part (5) of the separator (3) against the forward face (8) of the post (2) not only prevents the "nodding” downwards of the separator (3), it also maintains the perpendicularity between it and the post as the latter is bent backwards and produces the raising of the fence (1) which, in this way, contains the heavy vehicle and redirects it properly.
  • the post exhausts its contribution to the functioning of the barrier as a whole, the release of the union between separator and post is produced (fusibility phenomenon) and the fence (1) comes to function as a cable fixed in the unreleased adjacent posts.

Abstract

Rigid or low deformity separator device, applicable as a connection element between a horizontal fence and the vertical post of a high containment safety barrier for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, and is fitted in the barrier with the central face of the separator being fixed to a side face of the post, said separator being shaped in such a way that it presents a part which, once the separator has been coupled in the barrier, remains in contact with or very close to the front face of the post which means that, during impact from a vehicle against the barrier, said part rests on the post in the manner of a buffer, levering the separator against the post and thereby causing the fence to rise up as the impact progresses, thus conferring on said metal barrier the capacity to efficiently contain both heavy and light vehicles at the same time.

Description

    OBJECT OF THE INVENTION.
  • The present invention relates to a rigid or low deformity separator device, of large span, applicable as a connection element between a continuous horizontal fence, beam or rail and the vertical support post of a metal safety barrier for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is fitted to the barrier attaching the central face of the separator to a side face of the post, the special configuration of which means that the fence is raised up to the degree that a vehicle impacts against the metal barrier and thus conferring on said metal barrier the capacity to efficiently contain in turn heavy and light vehicles.
    • STATE OF THE ART.-
  • There exist in practice different types of vehicle containment systems, these being understood as any device installed on the side or central reservation of a road with the aim of providing retention and redirecting of any vehicle that goes out of control and leaves the road erratically, reducing in this way the severity of the accidents that are produced, so as to limit injuries and lesions both for its occupants and for other road users as well as other persons or objects in the vicinity.
  • One of the most widely used type of containment systems are metal safety barriers, used on the sides and central reservations of roads. The purpose of these systems is to reduce side impacts of vehicles, preventing them from traversing them and thereby guaranteeing the protection of other people on the one hand and, on the other, permitting the controlled redirection and deceleration of the vehicle, such that It comes out of the impact stably and continues in motion at a reduce speed alongside the containment system following the original direction of the traffic. In this way, it guarantees the safety of the vehicle occupants and of other road users.
  • In accordance with the existing applicable standards (EN 1317 in Europe and NCHRP 350 or MASH in the USA), before being used commercially, safety barriers and metal parapets are subjected to certain standardized real-scale collision tests in which an Impact is carried out under controlled conditions between a standard vehicle and a section of the containment system, permitting a qualitative and quantitative evaluation to be had of its performance. A containment system satisfactorily complies with a real-scale collision test when all the acceptance requisites and criteria defined in the standard are met, in particular, for the level of containment, severity of the impact, deformation and angle of exit, thereby guaranteeing certain adequate safety conditions, primarily for the occupants of the impacted vehicle and for other road users. It is then affirmed that a containment system has the capacity to adequately contain a certain standard vehicle.
  • When a safety barrier is capable of containing heavy vehicles (lorries and coaches), as well as light vehicles or cars, it is said that the safety barrier is of the high containment type. If, moreover, the heavy vehicles that are contained are very heavy (30 tons or more) rigid or articulated lorries with a very high centre of mass (above 1.6 m) then it is said that the barriers are of the very high containment type. Obviously, by definition of containment, very high containment barriers are also high containment barriers.
  • In accordance with the stated standard, a high containment system (specifically designed for receiving the collision of heavy vehicles such as lorries and coaches) has to pass the real-scale collision tests, both for heavy vehicles (lorries and coaches) and for light vehicles (light cars). This allows the high containment system to also guarantee the safety of the lightest vehicles, which constitute the most frequent kind of accident. For example, according to European standard EN 1317-2, the high containment level H1 requires passing test TB42 (impact of a lorry weighing 10,000 kg, at a speed of 70 km/h and with a collision angle of 15°) and test TB11 (impact of a light car weighing 900 kg, at a speed of 100 km/h and with a collision angle against the containment system of 20°).
  • The basic configuration of metal safety barriers corresponds to the joining of two basic metallic elements and optionally another two, the third and fourth.
    1. 1.- The fence(s) or rail(s), longitudinal elements arranged horizontally in one or more levels at a defined height and in a continuous fashion, the purpose of which is to contain and guide the vehicle impacting it, preventing it from breaching the fence or rail, limiting the transverse deformation and guiding the vehicle in such a way that it can be properly redirected by the system, The fence can have different configurations: one or more longitudinal profiles with an open or quasi-closed cross-section, in the shape of a double or triple wave, in the shape of a "C", "box", etc.
    2. 2.- The post, arranged vertically at regular intervals and fixed to the fence(s) or rail(s), the function of which is to support and maintain the fence(s) or rail(s) of the barrier at a defined height. The posts are generally metallic profiles with cross-section in the shape of a "C", "U", "I", "Sigma", "Z", of rounded, square or rectangular closed tubular cross-section, of rounded, square or rectangular solid cross-section or other kind of cross-section, which are inserted in the side or central reservation of a road in such a way that part of its length remains embedded in the ground or is anchored to it via a surface plate integral with the base of the post fixed to anchor bolts inserted in the ground. In the event of impact from a vehicle, and depending on the energy of that impact, the post is deformed to a greater or lesser degree, being bent and/or twisted with respect to the embedded or secured section.
    3. 3.- The separator element is an intermediate connection piece which is frequently provided between a fence or rail and the post, the purpose of which is:
      1. (I) to attach the fence or rail to the securing posts at a certain height,
      2. (II) to act as a spacer element between said fence or rail and the post in order to prevent the wheel of the vehicle from becoming ensnared in the post during the impact against the barrier,
      3. (III) to maintain the height of the fence in contact with the vehicle during the impact, compensating for the fence being knocked down by the post when the latter is deformed, being bent backwards and downwards, and
      4. (IV) In some cases, to attenuate or absorb part of the energy of the impact due to deformation and contribute to the proper redirection of the vehicle. In this last case, the separator is known as an energy "absorber". The function of the absorber of the separator is characteristic of some high containment barriers, especially those with the highest containment level, since such barriers have a very robust or rigid basic structure, consisting or the fence or fences and some robust posts arranged a short distance apart and capable of containing heavy vehicles, though for this reason this structure is too rigid for the impact of light vehicles. The separator-absorber is specifically designed to
        reduce the severity of the impact of light vehicles against these basic rigid structures, softening contact with the post and favouring the redirection of the vehicle. On some occasions this element consists of a single component or a set assembled from some metallic flat-bars and/or profiles shaped in a more or less complicated way, or in tubular profiles of square or rectangular, open or closed, cross-section. On other occasions, we can find barriers in which there does not exist any separator or absorber, and the fence is attached directly to the post. In other situations, above all In roads forming part of circuits for motor racing, it is possible to find other arrangements in which the absorber or separator element consists of cylinders made of a resistant elastic material filled with foam or similar material positioned between the fences and the post or outer wall; or even consisting of a metallic structure of the triangular semi-truss type which acts as absorber and post at the same time, allowing the barrier to be displaced in the event of impact.
    4. 4.- A continuous horizontal rear stay which longitudinally connects the posts of the barrier via the rear part thereof, joining either consecutive posts by their upper head or consecutive separators by their rear part. The stay provides the function of:
      1. (I) distributing the stresses originating in the impact among several posts, with the aim of reducing the transverse impact of the barrier and
      2. (II) compensating for and limiting torsion stresses in the head of the posts,
  • The different components forming a metal safety barrier are fitted together, normally by means of screw type unions, in other words, those formed from a screw or bolt with a thread, an internally threaded sealing nut and one or more washers.
  • In practice, commercial containment systems have various solutions for acting in the event of impact both from light vehicles and from heavy vehicles.
  • In metal safety barriers, all the constituent elements generally have the capacity to react in a similar way, and as a whole, by means of deformation, in the event of an impact whether from a light vehicle or a heavy one. Safety barriers can be designed to resist impacts solely from cars, and are then known as normal containment systems, or for also containing impacts from heavy vehicles as well (lorries and coaches) and are known as high and very high containment systems. High and very high containment safety barriers generally present functioning mechanisms capable of responding adequately both to the impact of a light vehicle (low weight and small dimensions, with a centre of gravity located relatively low down) as well as to the Impact of a heavy vehicle (large weight and large dimensions, with a centre of gravity located relatively high up). The success of the design of such barriers consists precisely of the commitment to achieve good performance, with the same barrier, with regard to these two types of impact - light vehicle or car and heavy vehicle - that are so different.
  • These functioning mechanisms of high and very high containment barriers make them capable of responding in a progressive way to the impact of vehicles with a different gravity index (transverse kinetic energy of the impact, in other words, the numerical value of "½m.v2.sin2α" where "m" is the mass of the vehicle, "v" the impact speed and "α" the angle of approach), guaranteeing a reasonably reduced maximum deformation in impacts with higher gravity index and In all cases a sufficiently low level of impact severity (based on the measurement of decelerations produced in the vehicle during the collision), as well as a stable performance and adequate redirecting of the vehicle in its exit.
  • The typical sequence of the impact of a heavy vehicle against a high containment metal safety barrier, of the kind consisting of a continuous horizontal fence sustained on vertical supports, and installed on the side or central reservation of a road, is as follows:
    • The initial impact between the heavy vehicle and the barrier takes place between the front side part (left or right depending on whether the collision is to the left or right) of the vehicle and the metal fence. The fence is the element that has to maintain permanent contact with the vehicle and guide it during the entire impact. As a consequence of this first contact (primary impact) the fence transmits the stresses to the nearest post which starts to deform, twist and turn, and to bend backwards, Since the impact takes place in front of the centre of gravity of the vehicle, this imposes on the vehicle a rotation in a redirecting sense. During this initial contact and successively, the separator (if there is one) has to keep the fence in contact with the vehicle at a sufficient height to prevent the vehicle from breaching the fence and/or overturning as a consequence of the difference between the height of its centre of gravity and that of the fence.
    • When the post exhausts its capacity for deformation, starting from a certain angle of bending or rotation backwards, the union between this post and the fence needs to be released in order to prevent the latter from being dragged vertically by the post. Once this union between post and fence has been released, the fence behaves as an element subject to traction or "cable" transmitting longitudinal and transverse deformation stresses to the posts adjacent to the "decoupled" post, and in this way propagating the impact in the direction of travel of the vehicle. This mechanism by which the union between the fence or the fence-separator and the post is released is known by the name of "fusibility".
    • Once the first post has been decoupled by fusibility, the impact is propagated along the system to the degree that the vehicle is redirected in its direction of travel, at all times in contact with the fence, and the successive posts of the barrier become progressively decoupled from the fence. Once the posts have been decoupled, the fence continues to work as an element subject to traction until the secondary impact takes place between the rear part of the vehicle and the fence which, as this occurs behind the centre of gravity of the vehicle, imposes on the latter a rotation in the opposite direction to the redirection, braking that redirection and causing the exit of the vehicle which separates from the system. During that exit, because the vehicle has transversely penetrated a certain distance with respect to the longitudinal alignment of the barrier, the decoupling of the final post of the barrier impacted by the vehicle can still occur. During the secondary impact, if the height of the "released" fence in relation to the vehicle is sufficiently low, then the vehicle could become destabilized and breach the system.
  • During the impact against this same simple high containment metal barrier for a light vehicle such as a car, whose centre of gravity is located in a vertical position appreciably lower than that of a heavy vehicle, the separator performs the same function with regard to the height of the fence on contact with the vehicle described above (the fence also rises up on contact with the car), though in this case the risk of breaching and/or overturning due to the difference in height between the centre of mass of the car and the barrier is much less. But, moreover, with the car the separator performs a second "spacer" function, preventing the front wheels of the car from coming into direct contact with the base of the post (prior to its release from the fence) and becoming ensnared in it. In a high containment barrier the vertical support post usually has a rigidity (determined by the inertia of its straight section) that would be excessive if the post were to become caught up in the wheel of a car and would cause it to undergo severe deceleration and strong destabilization.
  • The most commonly used rigid separators, according to their configuration and arrangement in the barrier, are grouped into two basic kinds:
    1. a) Block type Separators ("Block-Out"). These are fitted to the safety barrier between the fence and the post, fixed to the front face of the post (this being considered according to the traffic, in other words, the front face or forward part is the one orientated towards the traffic) along a certain vertical length of the head of the post. They are usually shaped as metal barriers with a straight cross-section in the shape of an "I", "U" or "C" or as solid pieces in the shape of a parallelepiped made of various materials, and are arranged in the barrier with the longitudinal axis of the piece in the vertical position, fixed via the front face to the fence and via the rear one to the front face of the post, and they do not allow the use of large spans due to the fact that such spans do not offer high resistance to horizontal stresses.
    2. b) European type Separators. These are fitted to the safety barrier between the fence and the post, coupled to the post laterally. They are usually shaped from metal sheet as barriers with a straight cross-section in the shape of a "C" or "U" and are arranged in the barrier with the longitudinal axis in the horizontal position, fixed via their front face to the fence and via their central face, back or core to a side face of the post. On account of their configuration they offer greater resistance to horizontal stresses and separators of this kind with larger width or span can therefore be used.
  • The posts of the metal barriers with a European type separator usually have "C", "U" or "Sigma" shaped cross-sections in such a way that that central face or back of the separator (which, once fitted to the barrier, remains in the vertical position) rests against the side face of the post corresponding to the core, back or central face of the "C", "U" or "Sigma" shaped cross-sections of that post. If the post has a solid or tubular rectangular cross-section, which is fairly infrequent with the European type separator, then the separator is laterally coupled to one of the side faces of the post, Some metal barriers incorporate an additional element for connection between the European type separator and the post, commonly known as a connector. This latter element permits coupling of a European type separator to posts with "I" or "H" shaped cross-sections or the lateral coupling of the European type separator in a post of "U", "C" or "sigma" cross-section in the side face of the post opposite its central face or core.
  • High containment metal barriers have to maintain adequate contact with the fence or fences both for heavy vehicles with high centres of masses (above 1.4 m) and for light cars whose centre of mass is located at approximately 0.5 m above ground level. If the fence of the barrier is located too high above ground level, the containment of a heavy vehicle is favoured but a light vehicle could be severely penalized and, on impact, it could "lift up" the fence with its front part and pass underneath it, with which there would be no containment, nor redirection, and the fence could aggressively penetrate into the cabin of the car. In order to make the containment compatible for both types of vehicle, the high containment metal safety barriers usually adopt three alternative solutions:
    1. (i) Use of several fences of small or medium width (e.g., double wave or two-crest profiles), arranged at different heights (superimposed), in order to cover the range of heights corresponding to the different types of vehicle. Normally, when there are two or more fences, the lower one is intended to contain and redirect light vehicles.
    2. (ii) Use of a large width fence (e.g., a triple wave of three-crest profile) permitting adequate contact to be guaranteed both with heavy vehicles (thanks to the sufficient height of the upper part of the fence) and for cars (thanks to the smaller "gap" left between the lower part of the fence and the ground).
    3. (iii) Use of a small or medium width fence (e.g., double wave or two-crest profile), arranged at a height that is not too great (suitable for cars) and a European type rigid separator provided with a mechanism, generally in the union of this with the side face of the post which, in the event of impact from a vehicle against the barrier, causes the separator to rotate upwards with respect to the axis (horizontal) of any other of its unions with the post and so lift the fence up with respect to ground level. This mechanism usually consists of incorporating several screwed unions (at least two) between the central face or core of the European separator and the front face of the post, arranged and designed in such a way that at least one of the unions, the one located highest up, is totally or partially released before the other union during the impact, and so the separator rotates with a certain angle around the fixed union, consequently raising the fence, which remains attached to the front part of the separator. Afterwards, with the fence now raised up, the second union between separator and post is also released and the fence is then completely detached from the post. The design of the upper union (the one that permits a certain rotation of the horizontal axis parallel to the barrier with respect to the lower one) usually consists of a series of holes very close together and aligned, separated by fine sheet membranes (of the actual central face of the separator) which are easily broken under pressure against the stem of the union screw, in the event of relatively modest levels of horizontal stresses transmitted by the impact of the vehicle against the barrier (corresponding to the initial instants).
  • For very high containment barriers, the difference in height between the centre of mass of a heavy vehicle (rigid or articulated lorry), which can reach 1.9 m above the ground, and the height of the centre of mass of a light car, of scarcely 0.5 m, is too great to be solved using the second (ii) and third solutions (iii). In very high containment barriers, this difference can only be overcome by using several fences or rails, some of them very wide,
  • The use of a single fence with a double wave profile (medium width beam) at a height that is not too great (suitable for containment of cars) in a high containment barrier (with very high containment barriers therefore being excluded from this consideration), displays three major advantages:
    1. (a) lower cost of the barrier,
    2. (b) it permits a natural connection (transition) of the high containment barriers to contiguous normal containment barriers (which use a single double wave profile and constitute the most frequent type of barrier), without any need to incorporate complex transition pieces (such as the connection piece for a triple wave fence to one of double wave), nor the need to flatten the upper fence down to ground level (as in the frequent case of barriers with two superimposed fences), during a certain length and a certain width of the shoulder,
    3. (c) lower total height of the barrier, which reduces the foreseeable problems of visibility in central reservations on bends for dual carriageway roads.
  • This is why the third alternative (iii) represents the most advantageous solution for a high containment barrier (though not for a very high containment barrier). However, said solution (iii) presents a drawback that becomes a genuine problem when one seeks to achieve a significant "raising" of the fence, during the impact of a heavy vehicle, by means of incorporating a large span European separator (e.g., a separator whose width with respect to the front face of the post is greater than 0,3 m).
  • In fact, the mechanism of alternative (iii) by which, during a certain initial part of the impact, the separator "rotates" upwards with respect to the post means that, as the impact of the heavy vehicle progresses, the angle between separator and post (which was initially a right angle) increases and the perpendicularity between the two is progressively lost. In this way the transmission of the horizontal forces of the impact of the vehicle against the barrier from the separator to the post, which forces the latter to bend backwards, decreases as the separator rotates upwards. The transmission of horizontal forces is optimum when the separator is kept perpendicular to the post but becomes lost as the angle between the two increases starting from the initial right angle. This phenomenon acts to the detriment of the deformation capacity of the post, which in this way does not "exhaust" that capacity before achieving the fusibility point when the separator and the fence become completely detached from the post and the stresses of the impact are transmitted to the adjacent post. This reduction in the deformation capacity will be greater the more rigid the post is.
  • A second drawback to using a large span European type separator for achieving a notable raising of the fence during the impact, adopting solution (iii) described above, is the transmission of a considerable torsion moment, with its vertical axis around the post, to the separator owing to the lateral or oblique nature of the impact from the vehicle and the "arm" effect which the separator produces with respect to the post. If this high torsion moment is not counteracted or compensated for, it could reach the point of "breaking" or collapsing the post in its base if the post is not sufficiently rigid, leaving it unable to perform the function for which it has been designed.
  • The arrangement of a continuous horizontal stay via the rear part of the separator compensates for part of the torsion moment in the head of the post and is normally effective for small or medium spans of the separator, but it is insufficient when the span of the separator is large. Said uncompensated torsion moment causes the separator to tend to rotate around the vertical axis of the post in the direction of the impact, until it breaks or becomes undesirably decoupled from the post (in which case neither the separator nor the post are functioning according to the purpose for which they were designed).
  • To summarize; the incorporation of a European type rigid separator, in other words, with its central face or core fixed and attached to a side face of the support post, of large horizontal width or span, permits the use of a single fence with a double wave profile or other profile of similar width in a high containment barrier. As we have seen, the use of a single fence of small or medium width in a high containment barrier presents many attractive advantages.
  • However, when the separator is required to function by notably raising the fence during the impact of vehicle against the safety barrier (especially with a heavy vehicle having a high centre of mass when the initial height of the fence, according to the installation of the safety barrier, is sufficiently low to be suitable for the impact of a car), and consequently the said European type separator is designed with a significant horizontal width or span, two drawbacks arise which reduce the efficiency of the barrier: on the one hand, the loss of perpendicularity between the separator and the post lessens the work capacity due to deformation of the latter (until the fusibility point is reached) and, on the other hand, the uncompensated torsion of the vertical axis of the separator around the head of the post hinders the proper functioning of the latter, the separator and the two together.
    • DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.-
  • The present invention provides a novel European type separator, in other words, a separator arranged in the barrier between the fence and the post with its longitudinal axis horizontal or slightly inclined and perpendicular to the barrier, being attached via its central face or core to a side face of the post, rigid or low deformity, of large horizontal span, configured in such a way that, once the separator has been fitted in the safety barrier, one or several parts thereof remain in contact with or very close to the front face of the post, along the width of all or part of said front face of the post, in such a way that the entire high containment barrier incorporating this separator maintains the advantages deriving from the use of a single fence of small or medium width, such as the universally used double wave profile, and at the same time solves the drawbacks deriving from the use of a rigid large span separator.
  • To achieve this, and with the aim of obtaining the above advantages with respect to the State of the Art, it has been necessary to design a novel type of European separator for being arranged between the fence and the post of a rigid or low deformity metal safety barrier, of large horizontal span. The main novelty of this is that it presents a constituent part which, once the separator has been fitted to the barrier, remains in contact with or very close to the front (forward) face of the post in such a way that, when a heavy vehicle impact against the barrier laterally or obliquely, said part of the separator rests against the front face of the post (which in turn becomes deformed, being bent or rotating backwards), said part acting as a "buffer" and "levering" the separator against the post, thereby causing the height of the fence to increase as the post is deformed or bent backwards, and in turn managing to maintain the perpendicularity between the separator and the post, until the fusibility point is reached. At that point, the separator becomes detached from the post and the combination of the fence and separator is released from the post, once the latter has exhausted its deformation capacity. Moreover, the aforesaid part of the separator, by resting against the front or forward face of the post, also acts as a "buffer" or brake to the possible rotation of the separator around the post, originated by the obliquity of the impact and the "arm" effect of the separator. Said separator therefore provides the following significant technical advantages:
    1. 1) It achieves a notable raising of the fence during vehicle impact, thanks to its rigidity and large span, which allows an efficient high containment barrier to be obtained against heavy and light vehicles using a single small or medium width fence (e.g., the double wave profile fence), arranged at a reasonably low height (suitable for containment of cars). As we have seen, the use of a double wave profile fence at a reasonably low height (e.g., no higher than 0.85 m) provides three advantages:
      1. a) Lower cost.
      2. b) Natural connection with conventional barriers for normal containment with simple double wave profile fence, contiguous with the high containment fence.
      3. c) It improves visibility in zones where the height of the barrier implies a possible problem (e.g. central reservation on a bend).
    2. 2) It maintains the perpendicularity between the separator and the post from the primary impact by a heavy vehicle until the separation between them occurs. This perpendicularity guarantees the proper transmission of horizontal stresses from the impact to the post and thus the proper work of the post in exhausting its capacity for deformation in order to contribute as efficiently as possible to the functioning of the barrier as a whole.
    3. 3) It limits the torsion (with vertical axis) of the separator around the post and thereby the torsion moment of the separator in the head of the post as a consequence of the impact of the vehicle against the barrier which could otherwise have an adverse effect on the functioning of the post and separator unit.
  • The European type separator (3) forming the object of the present invention is applied to high containment metal safety barriers, interposed between the rail or fence (1), preferably comprising a profile of small or medium width such as the double wave profile, and the vertical support post (2), with a total height of the barrier appreciably lower than the centre of mass (G) of the heavy vehicle which, by design, the barrier has to contain, as shown in FIGURE 1.
  • Said rigid or low deformity separator (3) is formed from a metal bar of straight cross-section preferably in the shape of a "C", "U" or "Z" with its longitudinal axis arranged horizontally once the separator is Installed in the barrier, frontally coupled to the fence (1) via its forward part, by means of a flange (16) of the separator and with suitable means of attachment (6) and laterally coupled to the post (2) of the barrier via its rear part, with the central core, back or face (11) of the separator (3) supported on the side or central face (9) of the post (2) and joined to it by means of suitable means of attachment (7), as shown in FIGURE 2, FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4,
  • The European type separator (3) described above can incorporate a flange (17) in its rear part intended for securing the separator with a continuous horizontal rear stay, as shown in FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4.
  • The characteristic that is the object of the present invention consists of the fact that the separator (3) described above presents a constituent part (5) thereof that is shaped, orientated and arranged in such a manner that once the separator is fitted to the barrier, said part (5) remains in contact with or very close to the forward or front face (8) of the post (2), along the width of all of part of it.
  • In this way, when a heavy vehicles with a high centre of mass (G) Impacts against the barrier which presents an appreciably lower total height and, in spite of the fact that the moment generated in the separator by the force of the impact of the vehicle against the fence (1) tends to cause it to "nod" downwards dragging the fence (1) with it, the contact of the part (5) against the forward face (8) of the post (2) produces the "buffer" and "lever" effect which prevents that nodding downwards, it maintains the perpendicularity between the separator (3) and post (2) and causes the fence (1) to be significantly raised, thanks to the rigidity and large span of the separator, when the post (2) is bent backwards during the impact.
  • FIGURE 8 shows the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height (adapted for containment of cars) and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which lacks the characteristic of the invention. We can see that, as a consequence of the moment of rotation downwards imposed on the separator (3) by the force of the impact of the vehicle against the fence due to the difference in height between the centre of mass of the vehicle and fence, favoured moreover by its large span, said separator (3) "nods" downwards dragging the fence (1) with it and thereby allowing the vehicle to breach the barrier with relative ease. The large span or width of the separator (3) which amplifies this undesired "nodding" phenomenon is nevertheless necessary for achieving a sufficient raising of the fence (1).
  • On the contrary, FIGURE 9 shows us the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which presents the characteristic of the invention. The "buffer" and "levering" effect of the part (5) of the separator (3) against the forward face (8) of the post (2) not only prevents the "nodding" downwards of the separator (3), it also maintains the perpendicularity between it and the post as the latter is bent backwards and produces the raising of the fence (1) which, in this way, is capable of containing the heavy vehicle and redirecting it properly. When the post exhausts its contribution to the functioning of the barrier as a whole, the release of the union between separator and post is produced by design (fusibility phenomenon) and the fence (1) comes to function as a cable fixed in the unreleased adjacent posts.
  • When making contact with the forward face (8) of the post (2), the part (5) of the separator (3) comprising the characteristic of the invention also prevents rotation of the separator in the horizontal plane around the vertical axis of the post during the impact, as a consequence of the moment generated by the obliquity of it with respect to the alignment of the barrier and the large span of the separator, which has not been able to be compensated for by other structural elements, such as unions with the post, the lateral support on the post or a rear stay. Such an arrangement can be clearly seen in FIGURE 3.
  • FIGURE 2 shows a form of embodiment of the separator (3) with the characteristic forming the object of the invention. The separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a straight cross-section in the shape of a "Z" arranged in the barrier with its longitudinal axis horizontal (or very slightly inclined) and perpendicular to the alignment of the barrier, with the front face or core (11) of the separator (3) in the vertical position and the wings (5) (12) appreciably perpendicular to it, laterally coupled to the post with the rear part of the central face or core (11) of the separator (3) fully supported in the central face or back (9) of the post (2) and fixed to it by means of appropriate attachments (7). The lower wing (5) of the separator (3) is orientated towards the post (2) in such a way that the rear edge thereof (18) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face or front wing (8) of the post, along the width of all or part of it, and the upper wing (12) is orientated In the opposite direction to the lower one (5), with a forward flange (16) appreciably vertical to the central face (11) of the separator for the fastening of the fence (1) to it (3) with suitable means of attachment, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The length of the upper wing (12) covers the entire width of the separator (3) while that of the lower wing (5) is shorter, since it has to span the position of the cross-section of the post once the separator has been fitted in the barrier, as can be seen in FIGURE 3.
  • When the impact of a vehicle occurs against the barrier, the rear edge (18) of the lower wing (5) of the separator (3) is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the buffer and levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
  • FIGURE 5 shows some constructional variations to the separator with a "Z" shaped cross-section described above: either in the shape of a "Z" without flanges, just with a central face or core (11), a lower wing (5) and an upper wing (12), or in the shape of a "Z" with flanges (13) (14) in the lower (5) and upper (12) wings, respectively, or alternating one wing, upper or lower, with a flange and the other without.
  • Another material embodiment of the characteristic forming the object of this invention is represented in the separator of FIGURE 6 and that of FIGURE 7. Said separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a "U" shaped straight cross-section arranged in the barrier with its longitudinal axis horizontal (or very slightly inclined) and perpendicular to the alignment of the barrier, with the front face or core of the separator (3) in the vertical position and the upper and lower wings appreciably perpendicular to it, laterally coupled to the post with the rear part of the central face or core of the separator (3) fully supported in the central face or back (9) of the post (2) and fixed to it by means of appropriate attachments (7), with both the upper and lower wing orientated in the same direction (opposite to the post) and an additional structural element (15) preferably in the form of a plate, angle bracket, tube, stud, etc., arranged in the separator (3) so that the edge (18) or rear part thereof (15) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face (8) of the post, along the width of all or part of it and a forward flange (16) appreciably perpendicular to the central face of the separator (3) for the fastening of the latter to the fence (1) by suitable means of attachment (6),
  • In the particular case of the separator of FIGURE 6, the additional element (15) consists of a flat place integrally attached to the lower wing (5) of the separator (3) in such a way that, once the separator has been fitted to the barrier, the rear edge (18) of said plate (15) remains very close to or in contact with the forward face or front wing (8) of the post (2). This plate (15) can also be shaped as angle bracket or tubular bar, or a round bar.
  • In the particular case of the separator of FIGURE 7, the additional element (15) consists of an angle bracket integrally attached to the core or central face (11) of the separator (3) in such a way that, once the separator has been fitted to the barrier, one face of said angle bracket (15) remains very close to or in contact with the forward face or front wing (8) of the post (2). This angle bracket (15) can also be shaped as a tubular bar or a round bar.
  • In the same way, when the impact occurs of a vehicle against the barrier, the edge (18) or rear part of the additional element (15) of the separator (3), see FIGURE 6 and FIGURE 7, is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the buffer and levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
    • DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • In order to complement the present description and with the aim of aiding a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with two preferred examples of practical embodiment thereof, attached as an integral part of this description are the following figures:
    • Figure 1.- Shows the transverse straight cross-section of the combination formed by a heavy vehicle and a metal safety barrier.
    • Figure 2.- Shows a perspective view of the unit formed by a horizontal fence with double wave profile, a separator and a vertical post, such that the separator presents a "Z" shaped straight cross-section according to a first embodiment of the invention.
    • Figure 3.- Upper view of the unit of figure 2.
    • Figure 4.- Shows the front view of the unit represented in figures 2 and 3.
    • Figure 5.- Shows four basic possible configurations for the embodiment of the "Z" shaped straight cross-section of the separator forming the object of the first embodiment of the invention.
    • Figure 6.- Shows a perspective view of the unit formed by a horizontal fence with double wave profile, a separator and a vertical post, according to a second embodiment of the invention in which the separator presents a "U" shaped straight cross-section with both wings orientated in the same direction and with an additional element of angular cross-section joined to the basic body of the separator.
    • Figure 7.- Shows four basic possible configurations for a separator with "U" shaped straight cross-section according to a second embodiment of the invention.
    • Figure 8.- Shows in five images (Sub-Figure 8a, Sub-Figure 8b, Sub-Figure 8c, Sub-Figure 8d and Sub-Figure 8e) the impact sequence of a heavy vehicle against a simple metal barrier incorporating a double wave profile fence and a large span separator without the characteristics of the present invention,
    • Figure 9.- Shows in four images (Sub-Figure 9a, Sub-Figure 9b, Sub-Figure 9c and Sub-Figure 9d) the impact sequence of a heavy vehicle against a simple metal barrier incorporating a double wave profile fence and a large span separator in accordance with the present invention.
    EXAMPLE OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
  • Figure 1 shows a European type separator (3) which is applied to high containment metal safety barriers, interposed between the rail or fence (1), preferably comprising a profile of small or medium width such as the double wave profile, and the vertical support post (2); the total height of the barrier being appreciably less than the centre of mass (G) of the heavy vehicle which the barrier has to contain by design.
  • As shown in figures 2 and 6, the rigid or low deformity separator (3) of the alternatives described below is formed from a metal bar of straight cross-section preferably in the shape of a "C", "U" or "Z" with its longitudinal axis arranged horizontally once the separator is installed in the barrier, frontally coupled to the fence (1) via its forward part, by means of a flange (16) of the separator and with suitable means of attachment (6) and laterally coupled to the post (2) of the barrier via its rear part, with the central core, back or face (11) of the separator supported on the side or central face (9) of the post (2) and joined to it by means of suitable means of attachment (7).
  • As shown in figures 3 to 4, the European type separator (3)- forming the object of the constructional alternatives described below incorporates a flange (17) in its rear part intended for securing the separator with a continuous horizontal rear stay.
  • Therefore, a part (5) characteristic of the separator described below is shaped, orientated and arranged in such a manner that once the separator is fitted to the barrier, said part (5) remains in contact with or very close to the forward or front face (8) of the post (2), along the width of all of part of it. In this way, when a heavy vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) impacts against the barrier, of lower total height, in spite of the fact that the moment created by the impact of the vehicle in the separator of the fence (1) tends to cause it to nod downwards dragging the fence (1) with it, the contact of the part (5) against the forward face (8) of the post (2) produces a lever effect which prevents this nodding downwards, it maintains the perpendicularity between the separator (3) and post (2) and causes the fence (1) to be significantly raised, thanks to the rigidity and large span of the separator, when the post (2) is bent backwards during the impact.
  • When making contact with the forward face (8) of the post (2), the part (5) of the separator (3) also prevents rotation of the separator around the vertical axis of the post during the impact, as a consequence of the moment generated by the obliquity of it with respect to the alignment of the barrier and the large span of the separator, which has not been able to be compensated for by other structural elements, such as unions with the post, the lateral support on the post or a rear stay. Such an arrangement can be clearly seen in figure 3.
  • Figure 2 shows a form of embodiment in which the separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a "Z" shaped straight cross-section, with the rear part of the central face or core (11) of the separator laterally adjacent to the central face or back (9) of the post and fixed to it by means of appropriate attachments (7), with the lower wing (5) orientated towards the post (2) in such a way that the rear edge thereof (18) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face or front wing (8) of the post, along the width of ail or part of it, with the upper wing (12) orientated in the opposite direction to the lower one (5) and a forward flange (16) for fastening to the fence (1) with suitable means of attachment (6), as shown in figures 3 and 4. The length of the upper wing (12) covers the entire width of the separator (3) while that of the lower wing (5) is shorter, since it has to span the position of the cross-section of the post once the separator has been fitted in the barrier, as can be seen in figure 3.
  • When the impact of a vehicle occurs against the barrier, the rear edge (18) of the lower wing (5) of the separator (3) is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
  • Figure 5 shows some constructional variations to the separator with a "Z" shaped cross-section described above: either in the shape of a "Z" without flanges, just with a central face or core (11), a lower wing (5) and an upper wing (12), or in the shape of a "Z" with flanges (13) (14) in the lower (5) and upper (12) wings, respectively, or alternating one wing, upper or lower, with a flange and the other without.
  • An alternative embodiment of the object of this invention is represented in the separator of figure 6. The separator (3) is formed starting from a metal bar with a "U" shaped straight cross-section, with the rear part of the central face or core (11) of the separator (3) laterally adjacent to the central face or back (9) of the post (2) and fixed to It by means of appropriate attachments (7), with both the lower (5) and upper (12) wing orientated in the same direction (opposite to the post) and an additional structural element (15) preferably in the form of an angle bracket, plate, tube, stud, etc., arranged in the separator (3) in such a way that the rear edge (18) thereof remains in contact with or very close to the forward face (8) of the post, along the width of all or part of it and a forward flange (16) for the fastening of the latter to the fence (1) by suitable means of attachment (6).
  • In the same way, when the impact occurs of a vehicle against the barrier, the edge or rear part (18) of the lower additional element (15) of the separator (3), see figure 6, is the one that makes contact with the front face (8) of the post (2) and produces the levering effect of the separator on the post which, to the degree that the latter bends backwards, maintains the perpendicularity of both, permits raising of the fence (1) and prevent rotation of the separator (3) around the vertical axis of the post (2).
  • Figure 7 shows some constructional variations of the separator in the shape of a "U" or "C" described above: either in the shape of a "U" without flanges, just with a central face or core (11), a lower wing (5) and an upper wing (12) and with an additional element (15) either in the form of a plate or in the form of an angle bracket, or with a separator (3) of straight cross-section in the shape of a "C", in other words, with a flanges (13) (14) In the lower (5) and upper (12) wings, respectively, and with an additional element (15) in the form of a plate or an angle bracket.
  • Figure 8 shows the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which lacks the characteristic of the invention, We can see that the "nodding" of the separator caused by the moment of the impact and the difference in heights, together with the large span, drags the fence (1) downwards with it and the vehicle thus breaches the barrier with relative ease. The large span or width of the separator (3) is necessary for achieving a sufficient raising of the fence (1).
  • On the contrary, figure 9 shows us the impact sequence of a vehicle with a high centre of mass (G) against a high containment barrier, with a single double wave profile fence (1) at a significantly lower height and with a rigid European type separator (3) of large span which presents the characteristic of the invention. The "levering" effect of the part (5) of the separator (3) against the forward face (8) of the post (2) not only prevents the "nodding" downwards of the separator (3), it also maintains the perpendicularity between it and the post as the latter is bent backwards and produces the raising of the fence (1) which, in this way, contains the heavy vehicle and redirects it properly. When the post exhausts its contribution to the functioning of the barrier as a whole, the release of the union between separator and post is produced (fusibility phenomenon) and the fence (1) comes to function as a cable fixed in the unreleased adjacent posts.

Claims (8)

  1. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and a vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, characterized in that at least one of the constituent parts (5) of the separator (3) is in contact with or very close to the forward face (8) of the vertical support post (2), along the width of all or part of said forward face (8).
  2. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and a vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, according to claim 1, characterized in that the separator (3) presents a lower wing or flank (5) orientated in such a way that the rear edge (18) of said lower wing or flank (5) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face (8) of the vertical support post (2),
  3. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and as vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the transverse cross-section of the separator (3) has a "Z" shape.
  4. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and a vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, according to claim 2, characterized in that it incorporates an additional element (15) fixed to the main body of the separator (3) in such a way that a part (18) of said element (15) remains in contact with or very close to the forward face (8) of the vertical support post (2).
  5. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and a vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, according to the above claims, characterized in that the separator (3) has a flange (16) in its forward part, with at least one hole (6) for being fixed to said horizontal fence (1).
  6. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and a vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, according to the above claims, characterized in that the separator (3) comprises a central face or core (11) which remains in contact with or very close to the side face (9) of the vertical support post (2), and at least one hole (7) for fixing to the vertical support post (2).
  7. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and a vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, according to the above claim, characterized in that the means of fastening of the separator (3) with the vertical support post (2) consist of fusible type screws.
  8. Rigid or low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads, of the kind that is provided between a horizontal fence and a vertical support post, said separator device being fixed to the side face of said post, according to the above claims, characterized in that the separator (3) presents in its rear part a flange (17) with at least one hole for fixing by suitable means, preferably screwed unions, of said separator (3) to a rear horizontal stay.
EP10015723A 2010-04-30 2010-12-16 Rigid or very low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads Withdrawn EP2383390A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ES201030408 2010-04-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2383390A2 true EP2383390A2 (en) 2011-11-02

Family

ID=44314995

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP10015723A Withdrawn EP2383390A2 (en) 2010-04-30 2010-12-16 Rigid or very low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2383390A2 (en)
AR (1) AR079902A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11306453B2 (en) * 2015-06-11 2022-04-19 Gary L. Reinert, Sr. One-piece metal plate foundation with integral offset plate for guardrails and other structures and guardrail system utilizing same
US11371198B2 (en) * 2018-07-26 2022-06-28 Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd Spacer piece for a guard rail system

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11306453B2 (en) * 2015-06-11 2022-04-19 Gary L. Reinert, Sr. One-piece metal plate foundation with integral offset plate for guardrails and other structures and guardrail system utilizing same
US11371198B2 (en) * 2018-07-26 2022-06-28 Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd Spacer piece for a guard rail system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AR079902A1 (en) 2012-02-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7794173B2 (en) Deformable divider for a vehicle impact safety barrier, of the type that is used between a vertical support-or post-fixing element and a horizontal impact or railing element
US7726632B2 (en) Lateral impact containment system for vehicles, with high energy absorption and containment capacity
EP1741833B1 (en) Metallic barrier with a continuous metallic protection system for motocyclists
US7544009B2 (en) Combined guardrail and cable safety systems
US8850765B2 (en) System of direct fusible anchoring for a support post of a security barrier or parapet in rigid ground
US20060011900A1 (en) Releasable highway safety structures
US20090272956A1 (en) Guardrail safety system for dissipating energy to decelerate the impacting vehicle
US20090272955A1 (en) Tension guardrail terminal
CA2940944C (en) Guardrail safety system for dissipating energy to decelerate the impacting vehicle
WO2009100365A1 (en) Cable guardrail system and hanger
AU2007224254A1 (en) Yielding post guardrail safety system incorporating thrie beam guardrail elements
EP2128342B1 (en) Metallic safety barrier used in the margins and median strips of roads for vehicle contention with a fusible mechanism for the bolted joint connecting its horizontal fence railings and vertical support posts
US20240117580A1 (en) Guardrail terminal
US20080083914A1 (en) Posts and release mechanism for highway safety structures
EP2383390A2 (en) Rigid or very low deformity separator device applicable to safety barriers for use on the sides and central reservations of roads
US20080011992A1 (en) Cable Anchor Bracket
EP1861548B1 (en) Impact resisting post
CA3116000A1 (en) Deflector bracket and cable anchor for guardrail terminal
EA042799B1 (en) END GUARD
KR20000025979A (en) Installing method of guard rail
WO2011135116A1 (en) Rigid or near-rigid separating device for use in safety barriers on highway shoulders and central reservations

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: BA ME

PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20130702