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Traffic Safety Barrier- Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

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P R E S E N T E R

I R . H J . C H E A L I B I N C H E H I TA M

R O A D S A F E T Y A U D I T O R

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L E M BA G A L E B U H R AYA

M A L AY S I A

Source: The Star Newspaper, 18 September 2018

Link: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/09/18/lee-urges-review-of-steel-guardrails-and-road-dividers/#r5k73hySAywBbllr.99

Is There a Need to Review Highway Barriers?

Guardrails and road dividers made of steel can turn into sharp knives in a road accident,

said Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (pic).

The suitability of these guardrails and dividers must be reviewed to ensure

the safety of road users and minimise injuries to accident victims, he said.

Lee said the authorities and highway concessionaires should conduct a

thorough audit on these road barriers to comply with the specifications set

by experts, including the Road Engineering Association of Malaysia.

“They also need to learn the latest technology and installation techniques of road bar-

riers that prove to be effective overseas, especially in countries with low road crash

fatalities and injuries such as Monaco, Sweden and the United Kingdom,” he noted.

“For example, the installation of a 130m rolling road safety barrier at Jalan Lapangan

Terbang Subang Airport was reported to have reduced road accidents by 94% within six

months from December 2016.

“With such a positive result, the rolling road safety barrier should be recommended for

implementation in various parts of the country,” he said.

“The main purpose of guardrails and road dividers is to prevent vehicles from veering off

the road and crashing into other vehicles or dangerous objects such as a tree, pole and

boulder; or plunging into a drain, steep slope and body of water.”

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MODE OF TRANSPORTATION

IN THE 50’S & 60’S TODAYVS.

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Source : AUSTROADS Part 15, Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice,Motorcycle Safety, 1999

“Crash barriers should only be used where the likely damage and/or injury

from hitting the barrier is less than that of hitting the hazard it shields”

Photo: W Beam Guard Rail

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PENETRATION OF GUARD RAIL BY BUS

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Accident Data - 3 Years

No. Weather LightingRoad

SurfaceCollision Type

Accident

Severity

1 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

2 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

3 Rainy Dark without street lighting Wet Rear Collision Serious Injury

4 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

5 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

6 Fine Dark without street lighting Dry Out of Control Serious Injury

7 Rainy Dark without street lighting Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

8 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

9 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

10 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

11 Rainy Dark without street lighting Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

12 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

13 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

14 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

15 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

16 Rainy Daylight Wet Out of Control Damaged Only

Source: Sample from a blackspot location along an Expressway in Malaysia in 2012 - 2014

Out of

Control

accounts

for 93% of

accidents

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Performance RequirementsFulfilment of NCHRP 350 or Equivalent

Source: FHWA/REAM GL 9/2006, Table 2.1 & AS/NZ 2845: 1999, Australian/New Zealand Standards on Road Safety Barrier Systems 8 of 19

AASHTO REVIEW OF BARRIER DESIGN

7 Reviews in 31 years, Average of 1 Review every 5 years

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COMPARISON BETWEEN NCHRP 350 AND MASH

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ARE THE BARRIERS ON MALAYSIAN ROADS SAFE?

NO, currently some of the barriers on Malaysia’s roads are not safe as they are

designed to cater for only P Design Vehicles at 100 km/hr (TL 3)

They might have been safe at the time of installation (Mid 70’s and 80’s) to

accommodate the size, speed, design and volume of vehicles and driving practices

then, (they follow the design practices consistent with world’s best practices in the

70’s and 80’s)

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HIGH COURT RULING, UK - 1975

LORD DENNING M. R in the

GREAVES & CO (CONTRACTORS) LTD VS

BAYNHAM & PARTNERS

(A Claim Against Consulting Engineers)

“It seems to me that in the ordinary employment of

a professional man, whether it is a medical man, a

lawyer, an accountant, an architect or an

ENGINEER, his duty is to use Reasonable Care

and Skill in the course of his employment”

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Bridge RailingsExamples of Barriers That Meet TL4 & TL5 (NCHRP 350)

Source: US Dept of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 200713 of 19

Design & Installation of New Barriers

Source: JKR Malaysia, 2007

“............. 1) Jemaah Menteri telah mengarahkan Jabatan

Kerja Raya Malaysia supaya program penambahbaikan terhadap

penghadang jalan dibuat seluruh Negara dengan menyediakan satu

pelan menyeluruh untuk menaiktaraf penghadang jalan sediada dan

yang baru ke piawaian minimum TL3 bagi laluan biasa dan TL6

bagi kawasan yang berisiko.

2) Seperti yang pihak YBhg. Dato’/Tuan sedia maklum,

penggunaan dan pemasangan “Longitudinal Traffic Safety Barrier”telah pun dikemaskini dari Arahan Teknik (Jalan) 1/85 (pindaan 1/89)

“Manual on Design Guidelines of Longtitudinal Traffic Barrier” kepada

Garispanduan REAM-GL 9/2006 “Guidelines on Design and Selection

of Longitudinal Traffic Safety Barrier” sejak tahun 2006 lagi ………”

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Design & Installation of Barriers Along Expressway

Source : Assessment of Crash Barrier and Roadside Hazards along Malaysian Expressways by M. MohdHuzaifah, A. M Muhammad Marizwan, W. H Alvin Poi, Z. A Ahmad Noor Syukri, 4 others, Vehicle Safety andBioMechanics Research Centre, MIROS, Conference Paper Jan 2010.

“............. 1) Shall focus on upgrading current guardrails to

rigid concrete barriers, initially at high risk stretch with a significant

history of fatal accidents.

2) All steel railings shall also upgrade to to concrete type

parapets periodically ………”

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Conclusion

COMMON DENOMINATORS IN CURRENT BARRIERGUIDELINES WORLWIDE.

Other factors will predominate and the designersshould use ENGINEERING JUDGEMENT to decidewhether a barrier should be installed

Safety barriers should only be installed when theirabsence will likely cause more severe injuries tooccupants of errant vehicles

Safety barriers are not meant to prevent accidents;they are there to MINIMISE injuries to occupants oferrant vehicles

ENGINEERING JUDGEMENT should always be usedin interpreting the various tables in the guidelines(Based on accident data available along that particularExpressway)

Never Ever use a barrier that has not been fully crashtested to internationally accepted practices, as we willnot know its performance under impact

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Conclusion

The design of barriers in the construction of newroads/upgrading of existing roads HAS to comply withthe latest design guidelines.

The existing barriers need not be replacedimmediately, however, they MUST be replaced:-

a. Over a reasonable period of time (3 to 5

years)

b. When hit/impacted regularly by errant

vehicle

c. When carrying out routine/scheduled

maintenance (Emphasis on locations with

poor geometrics, high traffic volumes and/or

high operating speeds and significant

volume of heavy trucks and/or buses)

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Replacement & Upgrading Program for Barriers

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

1. Appoint of Technical Team/

Expert in Barrier

2. Review of Existing Barrier

System

3. Draw up program of

Implementation based on

priority

4. Construction/Implementation

5. Training for Designers and

Operation Team

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Thank You

HIGH COURT RULING - 2000

HIGHLAND TOWERS

Steven Phoa Cheng Loon Vs HighlandProperties Sdn. Bhd

“….. Reiterated my strong sentiments against this type of attitude of PROFESSIONALS whose only consideration is to guard their interest rather than their duties and obligations to the PUBLIC which have so much faith and reliance on them ..…”

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