Abstract: Crash attenuator assemblies are operable to decelerate errant vehicles traveling along roadways. The crash attenuator assemblies include guide rails anchorable to a ground surface adjacent a roadway. Frame assemblies are supported on the guide rails and are displaced upon impact by errant vehicles. The frame assemblies are spaced longitudinally along the guide rail such that a bay is defined between adjacent ones of the frame assemblies. A compressible energy absorber is disposed within one of the bays. A piercing device is operative to penetrate into said compressible energy absorber upon compression of the compressible energy absorber during an impact event to create an aperture that is a visually observable identifier of compression of the compressible energy absorber beyond a predetermined compression threshold.

Abstract: Crash attenuator assemblies are operable to decelerate errant vehicles traveling along roadways. The crash attenuator assemblies include guide rails anchorable to a ground surface adjacent a roadway. Frame assemblies are supported on the guide rails and are displaced upon impact by errant vehicles. The frame assemblies are spaced longitudinally along the guide rail such that a bay is defined between adjacent ones of the frame assemblies. An energy absorption cartridge is disposed within one of the bays and includes a cartridge shell and an energy absorption body encased in a shell chamber of the cartridge shell. The energy absorption body is at least partially formed from an anisotropic polymeric foam material that exhibits a first energy absorption value when compressed in a first body direction and a second energy absorption value when compressed in a second body direction that is transverse to the first body direction.

Abstract: A road barrier transfer machine includes an improved capstan control system that reduces unwanted migration of road barrier spans without requiring inaccurate visual observations and reliance on outdated scripts. The barrier transfer machine includes a moveable chassis, an entry snout, an exit snout, a conveyor system, a capstan system, and the capstan control system. The capstan control system automatically operates the capstan system or provides instructions to an operator of the machine to maintain the tension and compression of a road barrier span within desired ranges to reduce unwanted migration of the span.

Abstract: A road barrier transfer machine includes an improved capstan control system that reduces unwanted migration of road barrier spans without requiring inaccurate visual observations and reliance on outdated scripts. The barrier transfer machine includes a moveable chassis, an entry snout, an exit snout, a conveyor system, a capstan system, and the capstan control system. The capstan control system automatically operates the capstan system or provides instructions to an operator of the machine to maintain the tension and compression of a road barrier span within desired ranges to reduce unwanted migration of the span.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of a frontally impacting vehicle and ramping of the frontally impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure resisting relative rotation between the crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact. External elongated deformable structural members extend along the sides of the crash cushion elements and bend outwardly away from the crash cushion elements during frontal vehicle impact.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of an impacting vehicle and ramping of the impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure resisting relative rotation between the crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact. The forward-most cushion element defines a notch and a metal nose cap having a weakened midsection is located in front of the notch.

Abstract: A road barrier transfer machine includes an improved capstan control system that reduces unwanted migration of road barrier spans without requiring inaccurate visual observations and reliance on outdated scripts. The barrier transfer machine includes a moveable chassis, an entry snout, an exit snout, a conveyor system, a capstan system, and the capstan control system. The capstan control system automatically operates the capstan system or provides instructions to an operator of the machine to maintain the tension and compression of a road barrier span within desired ranges to reduce unwanted migration of the span.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of an impacting vehicle and ramping of the impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure including a midnose structure resisting relative rotation between crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of an impacting vehicle and ramping of the impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure resisting relative rotation between the crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact. A transition weldment is employed to connect the anchorless crash cushion apparatus to a rigid hazard object.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of a frontally impacting vehicle and ramping of the frontally impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure resisting relative rotation between the crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact. External elongated deformable structural members extend along the sides of the crash cushion elements and bend outwardly away from the crash cushion elements during frontal vehicle impact.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of an impacting vehicle and ramping of the impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure resisting relative rotation between the crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact. A transition weldment is employed to connect the anchorless crash cushion apparatus to a rigid hazard object.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of an impacting vehicle and ramping of the impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure including a midnose structure resisting relative rotation between crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact.

Abstract: An anchorless crash cushion apparatus having a plurality of interconnected water-filled crash cushion elements and a non-water filled forward-most cushion element includes vehicle capture structure resisting upward tilting of an impacting vehicle and ramping of the impacting vehicle and stabilizing structure resisting relative rotation between the crash cushion elements in both vertical and lateral planes during vehicle impact. The forward-most cushion element defines a notch and a metal nose cap having a weakened midsection is located in front of the notch.

Abstract: A guardrail vehicle crash absorbing assembly including a braking structure at a panel joint including a tooth having a cutting portion for making a horizontal cut in a rail panel slidably moving relative to another rail panel.

Abstract: A guardrail crash absorbing assembly including overlapping elongated upstream and downstream rail panels, an impact head for sliding an upstream rail panel relative to a downstream panel when impacted by a vehicle, and a cutting tooth with a cutting tooth portion having a cutting surface and a hook structure for cutting and splitting the downstream rail panel upon vehicle impact on the impact head.

Abstract: Apparatus positioned at a guardrail lead end portion for absorbing energy resulting from vehicle impact includes an impact terminal, a support structure supporting the impact terminal at or adjacent to a lead end portion of the guardrail and a chute. The guardrail is in frictional engagement with inner chute surfaces and the chute applies torquing forces on the guardrail during passage of the guardrail through the chute to cause twisting of the guardrail and absorb vehicle collision impact energy.

Abstract: Apparatus positioned at a guardrail lead end portion for absorbing energy resulting from vehicle impact includes an impact terminal, a support structure supporting the impact terminal at or adjacent to a lead end portion of the guardrail and a chute. The guardrail is in frictional engagement with inner chute surfaces and the chute applies torquing forces on the guardrail during passage of the guardrail through the chute to cause twisting of the guardrail and absorb vehicle collision impact energy.

Abstract: A guardrail vehicle crash absorbing assembly including a braking structure at a panel joint including a tooth having a cutting portion for making a horizontal cut in a rail panel slidably moving relative to another rail panel.

Abstract: A guardrail crash absorbing assembly including overlapping elongated upstream and downstream rail panels. An impact head for sliding said upstream rail panel relative to said downstream panel when impacted by a vehicle, and a cutting tooth for cutting and splitting the downstream rail panel upon vehicle impact on the impact head.

Abstract: A guardrail crash absorbing assembly including two relatively slidable rail panels, each having top and bottom edge portions, and a braking structure attached to one of the rail panels engaging and deforming an edge portion of the other rail panel to dissipate kinetic energy and absorb impact forces.