Energy absorbing barrier

An energy absorbing barrier for dissipating kinetic energy upon impact by a moving vehicle, said barrier comprising:

• a plurality of containers, each having a base, a top, a pair of end walls and a pair of side walls defining an interior chamber, said end walls including end fittings for end coupling said containers to like containers adjacent its end walls, respectively, to define a container string, said side walls being made of a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction and a resilience sufficient to recover its original shape after being struck by a vehicle, said side walls including longitudinally extending, vertically spaced apart ribs defining vertically spaced apart traction spoiler channels operative, respectively, to resiliently deform and reduce traction between said barrier and the tires of impacting vehicle as said tires engage said barrier whereby said relatively low coefficient of friction, the rib defromation, and the reduction of said traction slow and constrain said vehicle from climbing and vaulting over said barrier, said container having a fill opening for admitting fluent material into said chamber, said side walls being configured and sufficiently rigid that said side walls substantially retain their shape both when said chamber is empty and when it is filled with said fluent material whereby said barrier is adapted to serve as a free standing lightweight pedestrian barrier and as a heavier vehicle barrier, respectively;
• and
• a plurality of vertically oriented, elongate elements disposed through said end fittings of said containers, respectively, to constrain said containers against separation.

An energy absorbing barrier for dissipating kinetic energy upon impact by a moving vehicle, said barrier comprising:

• a plurality of containers, each having a base, a top, a pair of end walls and a pair of side walls defining an interior chamber, said end walls including end fittings for end coupling said containers to like containers adjacent its end walls, respectively, to define a container string, said side walls being made of a resilient material having a relatively low coefficient of friction and including longitudinally extending, vertically spaced apart traction spoiler, said side walls sloping inwardly and upwardly and thereby more inwardly locating successively higher ones of said traction spoiler channels so that said traction spoiler channels are adapted to be successivley encountered by the tires of an impacting vehicle, commencing with the traction spoiler channels located near said base, and thereby providing successive reductions in the area of contact between said barrier and said tires as said tires climb upwardly upon said barrier whereby said relatively low coefficient of friction and said successive reductions in the area of contact constrain said vehicle from climbing and vaulting over said barrier, said containers having a fill opening for admitting fluent material into said chamber, and said barrier being sufficiently rigid to substantially retain its shape both when said chamber is empty and when it is filled with said fleunt material whereby said barrier is adapted to serve as a free standing lightweight pedestrian barrier and as a heavier vehicle barrier, respectively;
• and
• a plurality of vertically oriented, elongate elements disposed through end fittings of said containers, respectively, to constrain said containers against separation.

An energy absorbing barrier for dissipating kinetic energy upon impact by a moving vehicle, said barrier comprising:

• a plurality of containers, each having a base, a top, a pair of end walls and a pair of side walls defining an interior chamber, said end walls including end fittings, said side walls being made of a resilient material having a relatively low coefficient of friction and including longitudinally extending, vertically spaced apart traction spoiler channels, said side walls sloping inwardly and upwardly and thereby more inwardly locating successively higher ones of said traction spoiler channels so that said traction spoiler channels are adapted to be successively encountered by the tires of an impacting vehicle, commencing with the traction spoiler channels located near said base, and thereby providing successive reductions in the area of contact between said barrier and said tires as said tires climb upwardly upon said barrier whereby said relatively low coefficient of friction and said successive reductions in the area of contact constrain said vehicle from climbing and vaulting over said varrier, each said container having a fill opening for admitting fluent material into said chamber and each being configured and sufficiently rigid to substantially retain its shape both when said chamber is empty and when it is filled with said fluent material whereby said barrier is adapted to serve as a free standing lightweight barrier and as a heavier vehicle barrier, respectively;
• and
• a plurality of coupling means interposed between said containers, respectivley, and coupling said end fittings of said containers to define a container string.