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
  • E01F15/14—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 specially adapted for local protection, e.g. for bridge piers, for traffic islands
  • E01F15/145—Means for vehicle stopping using impact energy absorbers
• • 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
  • E01F15/08—Continuous barriers extending along roads or between traffic lanes essentially made of walls or wall-like elements ; Cable-linked blocks
  • E01F15/081—Continuous barriers extending along roads or between traffic lanes essentially made of walls or wall-like elements ; Cable-linked blocks characterised by the use of a specific material
  • E01F15/085—Continuous barriers extending along roads or between traffic lanes essentially made of walls or wall-like elements ; Cable-linked blocks characterised by the use of a specific material using metal
• • 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
  • E01F15/08—Continuous barriers extending along roads or between traffic lanes essentially made of walls or wall-like elements ; Cable-linked blocks
• • 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
  • E01F15/08—Continuous barriers extending along roads or between traffic lanes essentially made of walls or wall-like elements ; Cable-linked blocks
  • E01F15/088—Details of element connection

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a barrier for roadways .
• the present invention relates particularly, although by no means exclusively, to a stand-alone, self- supporting, lightweight and readily portable metal (which term includes metal alloy) roadway barrier.
• Known roadway barriers include :
• barriers made from concrete that rely on the weight of the concrete to function as barriers and typically weigh 1,000 kg per meter of the length of the barrier;
• plastics materials that are adapted to be filled with water and rely on the weight of the water to function as barriers and typically weigh at least 300 kg per meter of the length of the barrier;
• barriers made from steel which also rely on the weight of the barriers to function as barriers and weigh at least 200 kg per meter of the length of the barrier and, in many instances are fixed to the ground.
• the present invention provides a stand-alone, self-supporting, lightweight, portable roadway barrier that includes :
• ballast in a lower section of the barrier for contributing to the weight of the barrier .
• the purpose of the internal structural framework of the above-described barrier is to provide sufficient rigidity for resisting collapse of the barrier in response to vehicle impact.
• the interconnected arrangement of upright and longitudinal framework members is provided to give the framework sufficient rigidity for resisting direct collapse of the barrier in the regions of vehicle impact and from uncontrolled twisting of the barrier around a longitudinal barrier axis .
• the upright members of the structural framework also act as supports for the side panels .
• the internal structural framework provides at least 80%, more typically at least 90%, of the rigidity for resisting collapse of the barrier in response to vehicle impact.
• the principal purpose of the side panels of the above-described barrier is to deflect a vehicle on impact of the vehicle against the barrier. Accordingly, it is not essential that the side panels make a substantial contribution to the rigidity of the barrier and this makes it possible to minimise the weight of the side panels . Typically, the side panels contribute no more than 30% of the rigidity of the barrier.
• ballast The principal purpose of the ballast is to provide weight to resist shunting action on vehicle impact that would move the barrier significantly from a preferred position on the ground.
• the structural framework may include at least one upright member between the upright end members , with the longitudinal member being connected to the upright member or members . - A -
• the structural framework may include a central upright member positioned midway between the upright end members .
• the central upright member may include an opening that can receive a crane hook to facilitate lifting of the barrier.
• the upright members may be in the form of steel plates.
• the upright members may be in the form of steel plates that extend across the width of the barrier.
• the steel plates may include mounting sections to which the side panels are connected.
• the longitudinal member or at least one of the longitudinal members may extend along the length of the barrier and be connected at opposite ends to the upright end members and be connected to the or each upright member located between the upright end members .
• longitudinal members may be positioned at a height that is at or higher than 25% of the height of the barrier.
• longitudinal members may be positioned at a height that is at or higher than 50% of the height of the barrier.
• longitudinal members may be positioned at a height that is at or above a centre of gravity of a typical vehicle.
• the applicant has found that the location of the longitudinal member or the lower longitudinal member when there are two or more longitudinal members as described in the three preceding paragraphs is preferable from the viewpoint of the overall rigidity of the barrier and in terms of minimising the possibility of lengthwise twisting of the barrier in response to vehicle impact.
• the longitudinal member or at least one of the longitudinal members may be in the form of steel plates .
• the side panels may be made from steel .
• the side panels may be made from steel strip that has been mechanically worked, such as by roll- forming, into a required profile.
• the required profile may be a profile that facilitates deflecting vehicles on impact .
• Each side panel may include a series of lengthwise extending corrugations that define panel ribs .
• the side panels on opposite sides of the barrier may diverge outwardly from each other when viewed from the ends of the barrier.
• the height of the ballast may be lower than the height of the typical vehicle impact with the barrier. This is an important feature so as to ensure that the structural framework and the side plates of the barrier respond to the vehicle impact by absorbing impact energy and deflecting impact, while the ballast resists shunting movement of the barrier.
• the ballast may be connected to the internal structural framework or to the side panels .
• the ballast may include a support element for mounting the ballast to the internal structural framework or to the side panels .
• the ballast may include a body, such as a block of a suitable ballast material, and a support element for mounting the ballast to the internal structural framework or to the side panels .
• the support element may be in the form of a bracket, such as an angle iron bracket, that is bolted or otherwise fastened to the body of the ballast and is adapted to cooperate with the internal structural
• the ballast may include a plurality of blocks of a suitable ballast material positioned in spaces
• the ballast may be made from concrete or any other suitable material .
• the weight of the ballast may be up to 55% of the total weight of the barrier.
• the weight of the ballast may be up to 50% of the total weight of the barrier.
• the weight of the ballast may be up to 45% of the total weight of the barrier.
• the weight of the barrier may be less that
• the weight of the barrier may be less that
• the weight of the barrier may be less that
• the weight of the structural framework and the side panels of the barrier may be less than 200 kg per meter of length of the barrier.
• the weight of the structural framework and the side panels of the barrier may be less than 150 kg per meter of length of the barrier.
• the barrier further may include a lower side panel on each side of the barrier that prevents vehicle tyres penetrating the barrier and becoming engaged with the barrier.
• the barrier may include complementary members at the ends of the barriers for allowing a plurality of barriers to be connected together in end-to-end
• the barrier may be any suitable length.
• the barrier is at least 3 m long.
• the present invention also provides a barrier assembly including a plurality of the above-described barrier connected together in end-to-end relationship in line of the barriers .
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a barrier in accordance with the present invention.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the barrier shown in Figure 1 with the side panels and the ballast removed to show the internal structural framework of the barrier ;
• Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the barrier shown in Figure 1 which shows the blocks of ballast;
• FIGS 4 and 5 are respective side and end views of one of the ballast blocks and the brackets for connecting the ballast block to the internal structural framework of the barrier.
• the barrier 3 shown in the Figures includes an internal structural framework of :
• a longitudinal support member 9 in the form of a horizontally disposed flat plate connected at opposite ends to the upright end plates 5 and to the internal upright plates 7 ;
• the structural framework is made from steel . More particularly, the upright support plates 5, 7 and the longitudinal support member 9 are steel plates of any suitable gauge.
• the height of the longitudinal support member 9 is selected to be at or higher than 25%, more preferably higher than 50%, more preferably higher than 60%, and typically higher than 75%, of the height of the barrier 3. Typically, the selection is based the height of or greater than the height of a centre of gravity of a typical vehicle .
• the barrier 3 further includes side panels 13 that extend along the length of the barrier on opposite sides thereof and are connected to the upright support plates 5, 7 of the structural framework by bolts and or by welding the components together or by any other suitable means .
• Each side panel 13 is made form steel and is corrugated and includes three parallel crests and two parallel troughs between the crests . It can be
• side panels 13 may be any suitable profile to facilitate deflecting vehicles on impact with the barrier 3.
• Each upright end plate 5 comprises an assembly which enables a plurality of the barriers 3 arranged end- to-end to be hinged together to form a continuous line of the barriers, with the barriers in end-to-end
• Each hinge assembly comprises four
• hinge plates 17 having aligned openings 21.
• the positions of the hinge plates 17 are selected so that the hinge plates 17 at one end of one barrier 3 are above or below the hinge plates at the other end of another barrier 3 when the barriers 3 are positioned end-to-end and the openings of the two sets of hinge plates 17 are aligned.
• a hinge pin 33 ( Figure 3) can be inserted through the aligned openings 21 to hinge the two barriers together.
• the barrier 3 further includes 4 blocks 31 of ballast (see Figure 3) .
• the ballast blocks 31 are made from concrete or any other suitable material .
• the principal function of the ballast blocks 31 is to provide mass to resist shunting action on vehicle impact that would move the barrier significantly from a preferred position on the ground.
• the ballast blocks 31 make it possible for the barrier 3 to be used as a free-standing, self-supporting unit that can remain substantially in position on vehicle impact .
• the ballast blocks 31 are formed to be located in a lower section of the barrier 3.
• the height of the ballast blocks 31 is selected to be lower than the height of the typical vehicle impact with the barrier so as to ensure that the structural framework 5 , 7 , 9 and the side panels 13 of the barrier 3 respond to the vehicle impact by absorbing impact energy and deflecting impact, while the ballast resists shunting movement of the barrier 3.
• This arrangement of the components of the barrier 3 provides an effective response to vehicle impact.
• the ballast blocks 31 are located in the spaces separating the upright end members 5 and the upright members 7 positioned between the upright end members 5 and are mounted to the side panels 13.
• the ballast blocks 31 include support elements in the form of a pair of forward and rearward angle iron brackets 35 that are bolted to the ballast blocks 31.
• Figure 4 shows a single bolt 37 used to secure a bracket 35 to a ballast block 31.
• 2 or more bolts or other suitable fasteners may be used to secure a bracket 35 to ballast block 31.
• the brackets 35 have downturned ends that facilitate locating the ballast blocks 31 to the barrier 3, with the bracket ends resting on inwardly-turned sections of corrugations of the side panels 13 and thereby mounted to the side panels 13.
• ballast blocks 31 are not fixed to the side panels 13.
• the weight of the ballast blocks 31 keeps the blocks in position.
• the ballast blocks may be fixed to the side panels 13 , for example by bolts or other suitable fasteners (not shown) passing through openings (not shown) in the brackets 35.
• the barrier In use, the barrier can be conveniently transported from a storage location to a roadside location and then lifted into position as a functional barrier. Vehicle crash tests have been carried out on the barrier 3 by Crashlab (Registered Trade Mark) , a
• Crashlab is a NATA accredited laboratory in the field of Mechanical Testing. The crash tests were conducted to the
• test vehicle a 1990 GMC Sierra pick- up truck
• the present invention is not so limited and extends to barriers made from any suitable materials .
• the side panels 13 could be made from aluminium or suitable plastic materials .
• the internal structural framework be made from metals
• ballast blocks 31 are mounted via brackets 35 to the side panels 13 , the ballast blocks 31 are mounted via brackets 35 to the side panels 13 , the ballast blocks 31 are mounted via brackets 35 to the side panels 13 , the
• ballast blocks 33 may be formed to be mounted to the internal structural framework of the barrier.
• the support elements for the ballast blocks 31 are in the form of angle iron brackets 35, the invention is not so limited and extends to any suitable support elements .
• suitable support element is flat plate straps with down- turned ends .

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• 2014
  • 2014-07-08 WO PCT/AU2014/000707 patent/WO2015003213A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2014-07-08 EP EP14823327.3A patent/EP3019665A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-07-08 AU AU2014289966A patent/AU2014289966A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-07-08 US US14/903,648 patent/US20160145819A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-07-08 CA CA2915899A patent/CA2915899A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2018
  • 2018-06-29 AU AU2018204783A patent/AU2018204783A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2018-06-29 AU AU2018100904A patent/AU2018100904B4/en not_active Ceased

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