Functional Requirements for Highly Portable Positive Protection Technologies in Work Zones

Many work zone devices, such as truck-mounted attenuators, cones, and barrels, are used to separate workers from the traveling public during construction and maintenance activities. However, these devices do not provide lateral impact protection. Conversely, concrete barriers are often used to physically separate workers and moving traffic at long-term construction projects. Unfortunately, many work activities are of shorter duration or require continuous movement along the roadway, and so cannot be protected through concrete barrier placements. This paper describes a set of functional requirements developed for highly-portable positive protection technologies that protect highway workers. These requirements were based on an assessment of a large number of construction and maintenance work activities that are highly mobile and thus would potentially benefit from such a system. Specific roadway design features believed to have the most significant impact upon the functional requirements of a highly-portable positive protection system were also considered. While it is desirable to have a protective device that covers a wide possibility of work zone conditions, this preliminary study shows there are some practical limits to activities that can be accommodated by a single type of highly-portable positive protection device. As defined, a protection system meeting the stated requirements could accommodate about two-thirds of the construction and maintenance activities considered. Perhaps a highly-portable positive protection system could be used during some of the remaining activities if work crews were to adopt slightly different procedures for those activities.