Horizontal/Subsurface Infrastructure & Transportation

Hello. I hope everyone is doing well. I recently read about breakaway poles for roadside safety. Can anyone please guide me about the recent technology used in breakaway poles for roadside safety? I could not find concrete information on this topic? It will really be appreciated if anyone could share additional resources?

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Kashif Afridi S.M.ASCE
Istanbul
Istanbul Bilgi University

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A few resources for your use:
1. US Federal Highway Administration: Frequently Asked Questions: Breakaway Sign and Luminaire Supports - Safety | Federal Highway AdministrationOr

Per this site, here is some additional documentation you may find helpful: The 'current crash test criteria' were established in 1985 with the publication of the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals. The 1993 NCHRP Report 350 incorporated the same test and evaluation criteria in metric form. Because the metric conversion in Report 350 resulted in tests that were slightly more liberal than the 1985 Specifications, all breakaway testing <g class="gr_ gr_58 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="58" data-gr-id="58">done</g> between 1985 and 1993 is considered acceptable under NCHRP Report 350. The 2009 MASH adds the pass/fail criteria for windshield damage and roof crush, and requires testing with the 5000# pickup truck, but maintains test and velocity change evaluation criteria for the small car equivalent to that adopted in 1985.

2. For details about this technology, you can search Utube (I found a couple of videos via google showing how they work),  or contact one of the manufacturers (for example, this one: Breakaway Poles for highway applications)




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Stephanie Slocum P.E., M.ASCE
Founder
Engineers Rising LLC
www.engineersrising.com
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Kashif,
   Try the Texas Department of Transportation's Roadway Illumination Manual at onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/hwi/hwi.pdf

Also, try Electrical Certification eLearning Courses - Contractors

Txdot		remove preview
Electrical Certification eLearning Courses - Contractors The purpose of these courses is to extend your electrical certification, which will enable you to continue to work on TxDOT projects. View this on Txdot >

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James Justin Mercier, P.E.
Life Member ASCE
Sr. Life Member IEEE
Austin Texas
512-442-4016
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I would recommend checking out Task 13 as they have roadside safety guides.  Task Force 13 develops, recommends, and promotes standards and specifications for bridge and roadside hardware used by highway and transportation agencies on the nation's roadways.  Task Force 13 is an association of concerned and experienced representatives from industry, academia, and state and federal transportation departments. Their website is Task Force 13 - Home

Tf13		remove preview
Task Force 13 - Home Task Force 13 View this on Tf13 >

They have a section on Luminaire supports and a searchable guide is available.

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Eric Perry P.E., M.ASCE
American Traffic Safety Services Association
Knoxville TN
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