Assessment of the Effectiveness of Different Safety Measures at Tunnel Lay-Bys and Portals to Protect Occupants in Passenger Cars

Abstract

Tunnel portals and tunnel lay-bys are hazardous spots for road users. Different infrastructure safety measures are in use, but the protection level is not known. In this study the following safety measures for reducing the injury risk are investigated: angular positioned 4 m and 8 m concrete barrier, crash cushion Alpina F1-50 and Alpina <prototype> crash cushion. A passenger car equipped with a data acquisition unit is accelerated to 100 km/h and impacts the safety measure. The assessment of the latter is based on the EN 1317 criteria, specifically the Acceleration Severity Index (ASI), Theoretical Head Impact Velocity (THIV). Further assessment criteria are related to intrusions into the passenger compartment and post-crash motion. The best result in terms of ASI and THIV was achieved by the 8 m (ASI: 1.6, THIV: 30 km/h) concrete barrier. The crash cushion Alpina <prototype> showed good results for the ASI (1.8) but the THIV (57 km/h) was less satisfactory, while the angular positioned 4 m concrete barrier (ASI: 2.9, THIV: 53 km/h) and the crash cushion Alpina F1-50 (ASI: 3.3, THIV: 74 km/h) performed worst. Even though some of the measures showed good results, no protection measure tested currently complies with all the assessment criteria used.

Impacts on Crash Cushions—Analysis of the Safety Performance of Passenger Cars with Improved Safety Equipment Compared with Test Vehicles Based on Assessment Criteria as Defined in EN 1317

“…The gap between the crash cushion and the concrete wall was approximately one meter The crash cushion was positioned according to the F1-80 installation manual (Figure 4). The gap between the crash cushion and the concrete wall was approximately one meter and was chosen in accordance with the tests performed by Tomasch et al [24]. The angle of installation to the roadway was 5 • .…”

“…The angle of installation to the roadway was 5 • . The run-off-road angle was calculated from the CEDATU (Central Database for In-Depth Accident Study) road accident database [25,26] and was set to 5 • [24]. In combination with the installation angle, the impact angle calculates to zero degrees.…”

“…In combination with the installation angle, the impact angle calculates to zero degrees. and was chosen in accordance with the tests performed by Tomasch et al [24]. The angle of installation to the roadway was 5°.…”

“…The center line of the vehicle impacts the corner of the crash cushion. The impact speed was set to 100 km/h based on a real-life accident analysis of the CEDATU road accident database in accordance with Tomasch et al [24]. The speed was measured approximately 2 m before the vehicle collided with the crash cushion.…”

Archives of Civil Engineering

“…Lay-by will change the geometric dimensions of tunnel cross section, making the lining structure more complicated [1] and increasing ventilation [2]. In 2012, a serious traffic accident with 28 dead and 24 injured occurred at the end wall of lay-by within the Sierre tunnel in Switzerland, which caused some scholars to study the anti-collision effect of the type and length of the anti-collision facilities at the end wall of lay-by [3,4]. For the lay-by spacing (Fig.…”