Michelle
24th Jul 2005, 13:48
Central Vic has been the site of a lot of road works lately. Spefically the Calder highway.
What has been confusing me is the guard rail types that are to be seen along its length.
Traditionally guard rails were made of short posts with some curved alloy side;
A type of rigid guard rail.
But with this new road we're seeing an awful lot of wire rope barriers. About three heavy wire cables inserted into slotted p;osts and capped.
Using physics ideas I can see how they would be better upon impact (the deceleration to zero is much reduced and so the force of impact on passengers is lessened.rather like air bags function really). But my partner (motorcyclist) is mortified by them...reckons he'll get decapitated if he hits them
(personally I think motorcyclists are screwed if they hit any road barrier, rigid or wire rope...)
Now I assumed that these were the 'modern' standard, and that all the road barriers wouldbe built this way but along this stretch of road they alternate! THeres some of the older t ypes, some wire barriers...no method to the madness (and in most cases..these arent protecting cars from any particular areas such as dropoffs or other dangers..theyr'e on nice flat straight stretches).
Even the rope barriers arent consistant. Their spacing varies wildly...have the road engineers gone nuts or...?
What has been confusing me is the guard rail types that are to be seen along its length.
Traditionally guard rails were made of short posts with some curved alloy side;
A type of rigid guard rail.
But with this new road we're seeing an awful lot of wire rope barriers. About three heavy wire cables inserted into slotted p;osts and capped.
Using physics ideas I can see how they would be better upon impact (the deceleration to zero is much reduced and so the force of impact on passengers is lessened.rather like air bags function really). But my partner (motorcyclist) is mortified by them...reckons he'll get decapitated if he hits them
(personally I think motorcyclists are screwed if they hit any road barrier, rigid or wire rope...)
Now I assumed that these were the 'modern' standard, and that all the road barriers wouldbe built this way but along this stretch of road they alternate! THeres some of the older t ypes, some wire barriers...no method to the madness (and in most cases..these arent protecting cars from any particular areas such as dropoffs or other dangers..theyr'e on nice flat straight stretches).
Even the rope barriers arent consistant. Their spacing varies wildly...have the road engineers gone nuts or...?