New guidelines for the design of bridge barriers include procedures for selecting performance levels using AS 5100.1:2017 and guidance on choosing materials.
Austroads has released two new publications, AP-G108-25 Standardised Bridge Barrier Design Guidelines and AP-R735-25 Updating the Standardised Bridge Barrier Design Guidelines Research Report, which explains how the guidelines were developed.
Austroads says the guidelines are an update to its 2013 guidelines and are designed to address concerns raised by contractors and other industry professionals.
“The updated guidelines respond to widespread inconsistencies in current practice, particularly in the determination of appropriate barrier performance levels, the lack of standardised design details, and the limited guidance on retrofitting existing barriers or designing for complex areas like bridge approaches and overpass supports,” Austroads stated.
Extensive consultation was undertaken with stakeholders, as was a broad literature review, finite element modelling (FEA), and a full-scale crash test to validate the performance of a medium performance level bridge barrier.
The organisation expects the new guidelines to support bridge barrier design and reduce costs through improved standardisation and clearer design procedures. They should also help jurisdictions deliver more consistent infrastructure outcomes, Austroads said.
Image credit: Austroads.
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Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia, at the helm since December 2013, and our weekly news writer since 2016. Focused on concrete and construction for more than 11 years, her expertise in this field forms part of a journalism career spanning three decades. To get in touch please email desi@corbettcomms.com