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Initial In-Service Performance Evaluation of the SAFER Racetrack Barrier
Technical Paper
2004-01-3526
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
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English
Abstract
In recent years, high-speed oval track racing has become one of the most popular sports in the country, especially with regards to the NASCAR and Indy Racing Leagues. In general, typical oval track raceways have used reinforced concrete outer walls for containment of the high-speed race cars. While these concrete walls provide effective containment of errant vehicles, their rigidity has led to many serious injuries and fatalities. Recently, an energy-absorbing barrier was developed by the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln to mitigate the severity of impacts with the outer containment walls. The new barrier, known as the Steel And Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) Barrier, consists of a high-strength, tubular steel skin that distributes the impact load to energy-absorbing foam cartridges in order to reduce the severity of the impact, extend the impact event, and provide the occupant of the race car additional protection.
Currently, the SAFER barrier has been installed at a large number of race tracks across the country. A significant number of impacts involving both NASCAR and IRL vehicles have occurred into the various SAFER barrier installations. Impact data from these events has been collected by the safety personnel in the motorsports organizations and provided to the designers of the SAFER barrier. This accident data was then compared with the data from similar impacts on unprotected concrete walls in order to provide a real-world performance evaluation of the SAFER barrier. Analysis of the crash data demonstrated that the SAFER barrier provides a substantial decrease in impact severity and potential driver injuries over impacts with an unprotected concrete wall.
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Authors
- Robert Bielenberg - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- Ronald Faller - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- Dean Sicking - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- John Rohde - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- John Reid - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- Karla Polivka - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- James Holloway - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Topic
Citation
Bielenberg, R., Faller, R., Sicking, D., Rohde, J. et al., "Initial In-Service Performance Evaluation of the SAFER Racetrack Barrier," SAE Technical Paper 2004-01-3526, 2004, https://doi.org/10.4271/2004-01-3526.Also In
References
- Reid, J.D. Faller, R.K. Sicking, D.L. “High Speed Crash Barrier Investigation Using Simulation,” Crashworthiness, Occupant Protection and Biomechanics in Transportation Systems - 2000 ASME 246 November 2000 111 127
- Reid, J.D. Faller, R.K. Holloway, J.C. Rohde, J.R. Sicking, D.L. “New Energy-Absorbing High-Speed Safety Barrier,” Transportation Research Record 1851 TRB, National Research Council Washington, D.C. November 2003 53 64
- Bielenberg, R.W. Reid, J.D. Modeling of Crushable Foam for the SAFER Racetrack Barrier 8th International LS-DYNA Users Conference, Simulation 2004 Dearborn, MI May 2-4 2004