BRIFEN Wire Rope Safety Barrier FAQs
What crash testing has been performed with BRIFEN?
BRIFEN Wire Rope Safety Barrier has been fully crash tested and evaluated according to the specifications for Test Level 3 (TL3) of the AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH).
The MASH specification is an update to and supersedes NCHRP Report 350 for the purposes of evaluating new safety hardware devices.
MASH is also the basis of testing procedures for road safety systems as stated in AS/NZS 3845.1: 2015 Road Safety Barrier System and Devices.
What are the differences between MASH and NCHRP Report 350 for the evaluation of wire rope barriers?
The changes in crash test evaluation can be summarised as follows;
- The small car test is now performed with 1100kg vehicle travelling at 100km/h and 25 degrees. This is an increase in impact energy of 205% when compared with NCHRP-350.
- The pick-up test is now performed with 2270kg vehicle travelling at 100km/h and 25 degrees. This is an increase in impact energy of 13% when compared with NCHRP-350.
- The minimum test article length is now 183m between anchors.
- The cable tension must be set to the value recommended for 38° Celsius.
Why are the deflections larger for MASH tested wire rope barriers?
Under NCHRP-350, it was common for proprietors to crash test short installation lengths and set the cable tensions to their highest value producing low deflection results.
The MASH evaluation is considered more representative of real-life installations and considers the effects of barrier length and cable tensions.
The increase in vehicle impact energy combined with the changes in barrier setup produces larger deflection results when compared with NCHRP-350.
What crash tests have been performed with BRIFEN?
Impacts in accordance with MASH Test Level 3 (TL3) have been performed with posts installed at 2.1m and 6.4m centres.
What are the BRIFEN cable heights?
BRIFEN is a four (4) rope wire rope system with cable heights of 355mm, 530mm, 710mm and 890mm.
What is the length of the BRIFEN Terminal?
The BRIFEN Terminal is 11.25m long. The terminal is designed for attachment at the leading and trailing end of the system and gradually tapers the cables from full height to an anchor bracket located at ground level.
How does the BRIFEN Terminal function?
The BRIFEN Terminal is a non-release terminal. The non-release feature allows the system to remain anchored following design impacts.
How are the BRIFEN posts installed?
The BRIFEN posts are tubular and placed within plastic sockets that are concreted into the ground. The use of post sockets facilitates ease of removal following design impacts.
Which tools are needed to install BRIFEN?
Tools required for the installation of BRIFEN Wire Rope Fence include auger or excavating machinery, concrete trowel, wire rope grips and swaging machine.
