Abstract: An energy absorbing apparatus is provided, including an outer shell having opposed ends and a left and right side wall and a hollow core; and wherein the shell includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fold points positioned on the left and right side wall only at a height which substantially corresponds to the centre of gravity of a road vehicle; and wherein the fold points facilitate a controlled folding up of the sides and at least part of shell, at or around, the fold points, during an end on impact.

Abstract: A guardrail includes a cable routing device providing a tortuous path for at least one tensioned cable, the cable routing device includes a bar having a rotational axis and including a cable entry port having a circumference slightly larger than the cable which passes directly therethrough when the bar is in a first non-cable gripping orientation in which the diameter of the port (diametric width) is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cable, and wherein rotation of the bar about the axis effectively decreases the width of the port relative to the width of the cable to create a second cable-gripping orientation which provides the tortuous path, wherein the tortuous path through the bar is due to the relative decrease in the effective diametric width of the port and this provides sufficient frictional resistance to movement in relation to the cable during impact to facilitate impact energy dissipation.

Abstract: An impact slider assembly for a guardrail which includes: a slider mechanism attached to a first rail and second rail which substantially conforms with a rail profile; and an integral means for attachment to the first rail, wherein the slider mechanism gathers telescoping rails whilst substantially maintaining the strength of the rails in a fully re-directing manner.

Abstract: A temporary plastic barrier section includes a plastic shell having first and second plastic connection portions integrally formed on opposite ends thereof; and a rigid straight elongate member, wherein the rigid straight elongate member lies substantially adjacent to at least a portion of each of the first and second connection portions, and wherein the rigid straight elongate member includes connection points at the distal ends thereof which are configured to align substantially with the first and second connection portions.

Abstract: This invention relates to guardrails and guardrail impact heads for use in roading networks or vehicle road lanes requiring separation by a barrier. The invention provides an impact head for a guardrail including cable routing means adapted to form a convoluted path through which a cable can be threaded. The convoluted path that the cables must follow through the impact head of the invention restricts movement of the cable through the head, thereby providing sufficient friction to slow down the movement of the impact head during a vehicle impact. The invention also provides a method of constructing a guardrail including the steps of slidably interconnecting a plurality of rails and attaching them to posts, positioning an impact head according to any one of the preceding claims at one end of the slidably interconnected rails, threading at least one cable through the impact head and anchoring the cable to the ground.

Abstract: An impact slider assembly for a guardrail including a slider connected to a first rail and a slider substantially surrounding the first rail, so that in use, the slider gathers and retains the first and any subsequent rails which telescopically overlap with each other during an impact.