• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Logo

Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Library of Resources to Improve Roadway Work Zone Safety for All Roadway Users

  • About
  • Join Listserv
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Work Zone Data
    • At a Glance
    • National & State Traffic Data
    • Work Zone Traffic Crash Trends and Statistics
    • Worker Fatalities and Injuries at Road Construction Sites
  • Topics of Interest
    • Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety
    • Smart Work Zones
    • Transportation Management Plans
    • Accommodating Pedestrians
    • Worker Safety and Welfare
    • Project Coordination in Work Zones
  • Training
    • Flagger
    • Online Courses
    • Toolboxes
    • FHWA Safety Grant Products
    • Certification and
      Accreditation
  • Work Zone Devices
  • Laws, Standards & Policies
    • COVID-19 Guidance
  • Public Awareness
  • Events
  • About
  • Listserv
  • Contact
  • Search
Publication

Evaluation of Work Zone Barricades and Temporary Sign Supports

Author/Presenter: Mak, King K.; Bligh, Roger P.; Menges, Wanda L.
Abstract:

Safety of work zones is a major area of concern since it is not always possible to maintain a level of safety comparable to that of a normal highway not under construction. Proper traffic control is critical to the safety of work zones. However, traffic control devices themselves may pose a safety hazard when impacted by errant vehicles. Little is known about the impact performance of many work zone traffic control devices. The objective of the study was to provide barricades and temporary sign supports for use in work zones that would perform satisfactorily when impacted by errant vehicles. There were two phases to this study. The first phase pertained to the crash testing and evaluation of the impact performance of existing work zone barricades and temporary sign supports. The second phase involved the development and evaluation of alternate barricades and temporary sign supports for use in work zones. This report summarizes the results of the study conducted under a series of four (4) contracts. A total of 20 full-scale crash tests were conducted on various existing and alternate barricade and temporary sign support designs to assess their safety performance in accordance with guidelines set forth in National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350. Results of these tests indicated that existing wooden barricades and some of the commercially available portable sign supports did not perform satisfactorily in the crash tests. Alternate designs were then developed and evaluated for consideration by the Department. This report presents results of the crash tests together with conclusions and recommendations.

Publisher: Texas Transportation Institute
Publication Date: 1996
Notes: Available from TTI by calling (979) 845-4853.
Publication Types: Books, Reports, Papers, and Research Articles
Topics: Barricades; Crash Tests; Sign Supports; Traffic Control Devices

Copyright © 2023 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is a project of the ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation. It is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Texas A&M Transportation Institute. | Copyright Statement · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer
American Road and Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation, American Road and Transportation Builders Association U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Texas A&M Transportation Institute