Vehicle Barriers

[slickdeals]

All,

See article from Structure Magazine on vehicle barriers. A lot of firms have the standard detail at the concrete slab edge with moment transfer.

I am interested in hearing opinions from other engineers on whether there is much merit to the deficiencies pointed out and how many of you have made any changes to your typical details?

 

[KootK]

I think that it's a fine example of the lowest common denominator engineering that most of us are guilty of. Anybody who knows their concrete detailing knows that opening joints are inefficient and that strut and tie is the answer. Hardly anyone follows through on that, however, because they don't want to seem "impractical" compared to the engineer down the street.

I've been sticking with the usual detail but increasing my steel areas by 1/efficiency. I'd be curious to hear what other's think of this method. It doesn't directly address concrete strut failure issues.

The greatest trick that bond stress ever pulled was convincing the world it didn't exist.

 

[asixth]

Nope. The detail I work with would have a minimum 175mm thick rc barrier with reinforcement in each face and reinforcement in each face of the slab, either a U-bar or 2 straight bars with standard cogs. That detail works well. Can't really make out the reo detail for figure 1 but it looks like a complete lack of reo and judging by the lack of damage to the wall panel I think it was nowhere near the 6000lbs.

I reckon from a PI liability issues, guardrails and vehicle barriers are not the place to be going light on the reinforcement.