International Concrete Abstracts Portal

Title: Failure Mode and Ultimate Strength of Precast Concrete Barrier

Author(s): Se-Jin Jeon, Myoung-Sung Choi, and Young-Jin Kim

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 108

Issue: 1

Appears on pages(s): 99-107

Keywords: guardrail; precast concrete barrier; railing; ultimate strength; yield line theory

Date: 1/1/2011

Abstract:
A new type of precast concrete barrier system was developed and a full-scale static test was performed. An efficient method was devised to combine the barrier and deck by using protruded reinforcements and a mortar filling. Five specimens were fabricated with different test variables that simulate the cantilevered part of the deck and a series of precast barriers. Test levels and the corresponding loading patterns simulating a vehicle crash were adopted from AASHTO LRFD specifications. The developed precast barriers attained an ultimate capacity equivalent to that of a conventional cast-in-place barrier. The cracking patterns were analyzed in terms of the yield line theory presented in AASHTO LRFD specifications. An alternative failure mode and corresponding predictive equations were proposed for the ultimate strength by reflecting characteristics of the barrier shape. The longitudinal discontinuity of precast barrier segments was also addressed by accounting for the crashing location and possible failure modes.