Box-Beam Bursting Energy Absorbing Terminal

A new box-beam guardrail end terminal, known as the box-beam bursting energy absorbing terminal (BEAT), was designed and shown to meet current United States impact safety standards according to guidelines provided by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). The BEAT is placed on the end of a box-beam guardrail system. When impacted by an errant vehicle, the head of the BEAT pushes down the box-beam rail causing the rail to expand and burst at the corners at a desired energy absorbing rate. Details of the bursting concept are provided along with descriptions of the new terminal and the performed crash tests. Three crash tests were needed to qualify the BEAT terminal according to Test Level 3 evaluation criteria provided by the NCHRP.