Development of a 100 km/h Reusable High Molecular Weight/High Density Polyethylene Truck Mounted Attenuator

This paper describes the development and full-scale crash testing of a reusable truck mounted attenuator that dissipates kinetic energy through the lateral deformation of a nested cluster of high molecular weight/high density polyethylene (HMW/HDPE) cylinders. This 100 km/h impact attenuation device, called the Vanderbilt Truck Mounted Attenuator (VTMA), satisfies the crash testing requirements of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350.