Bridges, barriers and overpass
Discussion
The barriers for restraining HGVs clearly aren't up to the job .
The latest failure at Thelwel was lucky not to end in fatality.
I am old enough to remember a fuel tanker breaching the barriers on the A2 into Dover port ,leaving the unit dangling over the port .
The dangers of a complete failure don't bear thinking about.
The latest failure at Thelwel was lucky not to end in fatality.
I am old enough to remember a fuel tanker breaching the barriers on the A2 into Dover port ,leaving the unit dangling over the port .
The dangers of a complete failure don't bear thinking about.
Lots of sub-standard parapet systems still knocking about, but typically it wasn't learned that they were sub-standard until they all started to fail in numerous ways ~25 years later!
Standards are always being revised and made more stringent - from what I remember CS 461 (new) is a lot more thorough than the old IAN 97 assessment and as such, beefier parapet and VRS systems are being put in place, particularly on overbridges and railway spans (next time you're out and about on anything NSL note the size of the parapet and VRS Sistema barrier on a railway span and you'll see what I mean!)
A lot of it is down to money as always. I can speak from experience that authorities are always prioritising in-service parapet systems that are in desperate need for an upgrade, bringing them forward and doing them sooner - the only problem is there A) isn't enough money to do it all at once and B) its a fairly specialised thing to do (in many cases the old bridge decks simply do not have the capacity to take additional loading at the concrete cantilevered edge beams and as such new approaches need to be used such as inboard VRS systems or additional structural works to existing bridge decks) so finding enough contractors to do as much work as possible all at once is difficult.
Standards are always being revised and made more stringent - from what I remember CS 461 (new) is a lot more thorough than the old IAN 97 assessment and as such, beefier parapet and VRS systems are being put in place, particularly on overbridges and railway spans (next time you're out and about on anything NSL note the size of the parapet and VRS Sistema barrier on a railway span and you'll see what I mean!)
A lot of it is down to money as always. I can speak from experience that authorities are always prioritising in-service parapet systems that are in desperate need for an upgrade, bringing them forward and doing them sooner - the only problem is there A) isn't enough money to do it all at once and B) its a fairly specialised thing to do (in many cases the old bridge decks simply do not have the capacity to take additional loading at the concrete cantilevered edge beams and as such new approaches need to be used such as inboard VRS systems or additional structural works to existing bridge decks) so finding enough contractors to do as much work as possible all at once is difficult.
Some of the standard of driving I see from our HGV Drivers its a wonder they aren't over the edge of Thelwall Viaduct every day .Whats being blamed this time , "swerved to avoid a drunk scouser ' ?
I see its another Fedex Driver , didn't the last accident involving a Fedex HGV wipe out half a dozen Indians in a Minibus at Junction 14 on the M1
I see its another Fedex Driver , didn't the last accident involving a Fedex HGV wipe out half a dozen Indians in a Minibus at Junction 14 on the M1
Edited by reddiesel on Tuesday 1st October 18:50
Short of erecting the equivalent of the Berlin Wall between carriageways and alongside dangerous sections of road, (which can't be done on overpasses bridges etc because you'd be talking thousands more tons of reinforced concrete than the original designs allowed for) none of the present barriers will stop a heavy truck if the angle it strikes at is sharp enough.
Glenn63 said:
Theres a video floating around FB of the truck going off the Thelwall, it’s almost a glancing blow certainly not square on but the barrier just gives way like it’s made of paper.
Very lucky man, 50 yards earlier he’d have been down in the river.
I saw. Looks like it jack knifed just before it hit, so it went down trailer first. I think that's saved him too, not going cab first.Very lucky man, 50 yards earlier he’d have been down in the river.
Have you seen the recovery video?
https://youtu.be/rnb_SCZfoFo?si=1Pk6IDTvnj9s8pnt&a...
Its Just Adz said:
Glenn63 said:
Theres a video floating around FB of the truck going off the Thelwall, it’s almost a glancing blow certainly not square on but the barrier just gives way like it’s made of paper.
Very lucky man, 50 yards earlier he’d have been down in the river.
I saw. Looks like it jack knifed just before it hit, so it went down trailer first. I think that's saved him too, not going cab first.Very lucky man, 50 yards earlier he’d have been down in the river.
Have you seen the recovery video?
https://youtu.be/rnb_SCZfoFo?si=1Pk6IDTvnj9s8pnt&a...
Glenn63 said:
Another truck through the central barrier up at J32-33 of M6 yesterday. Massive accident several vehicles involved, trucker died and motorway closed for 17 hours.
I'm wondering if that was a medical episode for the driver. Would explain crossing central barrier and him not surviving a relatively small rollover.
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