Sequential kinking guardrail terminal system

Abstract

A highway guardrail terminal system having horizontally extending guardrail elements mounted on a plurality of posts. An impact head is positioned over the upstream end of the guardrail. A kinker beam is attached to an inlet of head and a kinking deflector plate is affixed inside the head. The deflector plate extends transversely across the head from the inlet to the outlet and has a multiplicity of discrete, intersecting angular faces. Upon impact of a vehicle with the head, the head is horizontally displaced along the rail elements of the guardrail. As the rail elements impact the deflector plate, kinks or plastic hinges are created in the elements. The impact energy is dissipated by the controlled kinking of the guardrail beams. An anchor cable release bracket attached to a rail element by sleeved mounting bolts has an arrangement of slots and openings to quickly release an anchor cable system from the guardrail. Foundation sleeves having an elongated slit along one side retain and support appropriate guardrail posts. A crash attenuation system may be provided with a plurality of kinker beams and kinking deflector plates for kinking a plurality of rail elements. The attenuation may be mounted to a head wall or mounted on a truck.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.