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RAMSHIELD® Transition

The RAMSHIELD® Transition provides a smooth, snag-free connection between steel guardrail barriers and rigid barriers, such as at bridge parapets. The RAMSHIELD® Transition gradually increases stiffness of the safety barrier system reducing the potential for vehicle pocketing.

The RAMSHIELD® Transition achieves a controlled redirection of errant vehicles by releasing the thrie-beam guardrail from the post at an optimal load to retain rail height, limit dynamic deflection and to allow the post to collapse without tripping the vehicle.

Ramshield Transition - Safe Direction
Mash 3 Compliant-02

Features

Crash test evaluations:

  • 1100kg Passenger Car travelling at 100km/h & 25 degrees (MASH 3-20).
  • 2270kg Pick-up Truck travelling at 100km/h & 25 degrees (MASH 3-21).

Austroads acceptance:

RAMSHIELD® Transition FAQs

What is a Transition?

Wherever it is necessary to connect barrier systems of different stiffness (e.g. connecting guardrail to concrete), the interface must be designed to ensure that the overall system will perform safely when impacted by a design vehicle.

The interface should provide a smooth, snag-free transition between different types of barriers where they meet, such as at bridge parapets. Inappropriate, incorrectly installed or missing interfaces present a hazard to vehicles impacting the barriers at or near the interface point (i.e. the end of the concrete or steel bridge barrier).

How does the RAMSHIELD® Transition work?

The RAMSHIELD® Transition gradually increases system stiffness by using thrie-beam rail and reducing post spacing prior to connecting to the rigid barrier or bridge abutment.

What crash testing has been performed on the RAMSHIELD® Transition?

Four (4) full-scale crash tests in accordance with MASH Test level 3 have been performed. Evaluation of the RAMSHIELD® Transition has been undertaken when connected to a concrete abutment and a rigid steel post abutment (i.e. CrocGuard®).

How does the RAMSHIELD® Transition compare with the Austroads SBTA 21-005 public domain transition?

The RAMSHIELD® Transition was crash tested using the same anchor block design as the Austroads SBTA 21-005 public domain transition. Unlike the Austroads transition which secures to the concrete abutment using cast-in ferrules, the RAMSHIELD® Transition is secured using mechanical anchors.

Other advantages of the RAMSHIELD® Transition when compared to the Austroads transition include:

  • The 1m thrie-beam rail height of the RAMSHIELD® Transition improves vehicle stability during containment and redirection
  • Shorter installation length
  • Fewer posts
  • No nesting of thrie-beam rails
  • No blocking pieces
What posts are used for the installation of the RAMSHIELD® Transition?

The RAMSHIELD® Transition uses the same C-posts as used in the assembly of RAMSHIELD® High Containment guardrail (HC).

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