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  5. Guardrail End Terminals

Guardrail Terminals are installed at the ends of the longitudinal guardrail safety barrier system to mitigate the risk of impacts at the end of the system and to anchor the system facilitating safe vehicle containment and redirection.

Most guardrail end terminals are energy-absorbing, designed to absorb the kinetic energy of a vehicle impacting end-on and bringing the errant vehicle to a safe stop. During angled impacts at the nose of the terminal, the errant vehicle will gate through the system. When impacting downstream, at the point-of-need, the terminal is designed to safely redirect the errant vehicle.

Guardrail end terminals are designed for direct attachment to RamShield® Guardrail Barriers simplifying installation and providing an end-to-end MASH compliant safety barrier system.

Guardrail Terminals FAQs

What is a G.R.E.A.T?

Also known as a Gating Redirective Energy-Absorbing Terminal.  This classification is used by some state road agencies to define guardrail end terminals. Safe Direction products that meet this classification include the MSKT and MAX-Tension guardrail end terminals.

Is a Trailing Terminal energy-absorbing?

No. A trailing terminal or departure terminal is designed to anchor the guardrail safety barrier system only. A trailing terminal is not designed to withstand end-on impacts and therefore their installation is typically limited to divided roadways where reverse direction impacts cannot occur. Safe Direction recommends GREAT terminals on the leading and trailing end of the barrier system due to their superior anchoring capacity and impact performance when compared to trailing terminals.

What is a tangential end terminal?

Historically, guardrail end terminals were installed on a parabolic flare. These systems have been discontinued as they failed to meet MASH crash testing requirements. Modern guardrail terminals are installed using straight w-beam guardrails simplifying installation and minimising space required on the verge. Most guardrail terminals can also be installed on a straight flare to prevent nuisance impacts at the nose of the terminal.

Are guardrail end terminal components interchangeable?

No. The guardrail end terminal should be regarded as a complete system. Most feature proprietary components that are critical in the safe performance of the terminal. Only genuine components should be used in the assembly and repair of a guardrail end terminal.

What is the guardrail end terminal point-of-need?

The point-of-need is the location measured from the nose of the guardrail terminal that has demonstrated containment and redirection of the heavy passenger car impacting at 25 degrees. Impacts occurring at the nose of the terminal, prior to the point-of-need may result in the vehicle gating through the terminal.

Why do most guardrail end terminals use 200mm wide composite blocking pieces?

Most guardrail end terminals approved for use in Australia were developed in the USA where the use of blocking pieces is common to prevent wheel snag on the guardrail post during side-on impacts and to retain w-beam guardrail elevation as the guardrail post yields.