THRIE BEAM GUIDE RAIL?

[TheEnginerd]

can someone please explain where the term "Thrie" comes from?
for years I thought this was a spelling mistake of the word "three" but my state's approved guiderail is called "Thrie". A local reviewer commented on my latest plan set saying that I needed to correct this spelling mistake. I'd like to respond in my letter with some good backup if anyone has any insight?
Thanks.

 

[bridgebuster]

It's the Middle English version do three.

 

[ACtrafficengr]

Refer the reviewer to the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide or the roadside design chapter of your state/provincial/etc. transportation department's highway design manual. Many are online, such as NY's:
Link

 

[chicopee]

The link provided by ACtraffiengrPage will have on page 10-73 the term "thrie".

 

[engineered2005]

The PA Roadway Construction (RC) Standards utilize the word "thrie" also.

-------
Brian|PA EIT
Civil-Highway Engineer
PSU 2009 (BS Civil)

 

[MikeHalloran]

What an interesting problem.

The word is used, and the product is manufactured, globally.
I found mention of it as a fait accompli in xxDOT documents dating its common usage at least as far back as 1984.

I could find no reference to an engineer type person with the name Thrie.

I did find a video from FHWA,

https://archive.org/details/gov.dot.fhwa.ttp.vh-2b

... but the narrator says it 'thrye'.


From:

http://mdotcf.state.mi.us/public/design/files/englishroadmanual/erdm07.pdf

7.01.03 (continued)
History of Guardrail a
nd Barrier in Michigan
Initially, the W-beam was not galvanized and
had to be painted. The next step was to
galvanize it for more economical maintenance.
The first installations of W-beam rail involved
attaching the beam element directly to posts
placed 12'-6" on centers,
at a top of rail height
of 24". This design later became known as
our Beam Guardrail - Type A. Research and
crash testing in the late 1950's and early
1960's, principally by the state of California
and by General Motors at its Milford Proving
Grounds, produced the recommendations of
closer post spacing, (6
'-3"), blocking out the
beam from the post, and a higher top of rail
mounting height. This resulted in Michigan's
development of our Beam Guardrail - Type C
in 1965, and Beam Guardrail - Type B in
1966. The most recent
significant change in
guardrail type in Michigan occurred in 1984
with the adoption of thrie beam, now called
Guardrail, Type T.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[TheEnginerd]

thank you for the very thorough response Mike!
i am convinced that "Thrie" is the correct term, however back to the original problem - we simply ended up calling the detail "Guiderail Detail" or something similar to avoid the issue entirely (even though we were correct). It wasn't worth the discussion of "Middle English" , etc.
Andy