NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF RETROFIT DESIGNS OF CABLE MEDIAN BARRIERS USING RECLAIMED TIRES

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Badar, A. (2017). NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF RETROFIT DESIGNS OF CABLE MEDIAN BARRIERS USING RECLAIMED TIRES. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

This thesis presents a research attempt at finding out a viable retrofit system design for cable median barriers using reclaimed tires. Finite element analysis was used to conduct simulations in order to evaluate the performance of retrofit barriers.Four designs of the retrofit tire-cable median barriers were modeled and tested under impacts by a 1996 Dodge Neon and a 2006 Ford F250 according to MASH test level 3 impact conditions. The simulations were conducted on a flat median and the vehicles were impacted on the barrier at 62.1 mph and 25° impact angle at the post to find out a feasible design out of the four proposed designs. These simulations were conducted in a systematic manner and a viable design option was found amongst the four proposed retrofit options and named as EDC_J1. Further evaluation of EDC_J1 design was carried out by setting up simulations for back side and front side impacts on post and mid-span on flat and sloped medians.The simulation results showed that the EDC_J1 barrier could successfully redirect the smaller sedan in most cases compared to the current cable median barrier without tires. The EDC_J1 tire-cable median barrier was also found to have less barrier deflection than the current design for impacts with smaller sedan.

Details
Author

Badar, Amey

Title

NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF RETROFIT DESIGNS OF CABLE MEDIAN BARRIERS USING RECLAIMED TIRES

Physical Description

1 online resource (163 pages) : PDF

Date

2017

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

This thesis presents a research attempt at finding out a viable retrofit system design for cable median barriers using reclaimed tires. Finite element analysis was used to conduct simulations in order to evaluate the performance of retrofit barriers.Four designs of the retrofit tire-cable median barriers were modeled and tested under impacts by a 1996 Dodge Neon and a 2006 Ford F250 according to MASH test level 3 impact conditions. The simulations were conducted on a flat median and the vehicles were impacted on the barrier at 62.1 mph and 25° impact angle at the post to find out a feasible design out of the four proposed designs. These simulations were conducted in a systematic manner and a viable design option was found amongst the four proposed retrofit options and named as EDC_J1. Further evaluation of EDC_J1 design was carried out by setting up simulations for back side and front side impacts on post and mid-span on flat and sloped medians.The simulation results showed that the EDC_J1 barrier could successfully redirect the smaller sedan in most cases compared to the current cable median barrier without tires. The EDC_J1 tire-cable median barrier was also found to have less barrier deflection than the current design for impacts with smaller sedan.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

Mechanical engineering

Degree

M.S.

Keywords

Cable Median Barrier
Crash
Highway Safety
Impact
Mash
Tire

Subject Area

Mechanical Engineering

Advisor(s)

Fang, Howie

Committee Members

Tabarraei, Alireza
Weggel, David

Degree Note

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2017.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Badar_uncc_0694N_11587

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1040