Simulation of Road Guardrails

Abstract

A mathematical model of a deforming road guardrail is presented in the article. Referring to the mathematical model of a guardrail it is possible to investigate beam metal guardrails (Fig 1 b, c) mostly used on the roads of Lithuania, to design new guardrails of such type and also to investigate different transport traffic situations (e.g. interaction between the vehicle and the guardrail). Guardrail (e.g. a beam metal guardrail) is simulated by the first order one-dimensional finite elements taking into consideration only elastic deformations. To identify finite element masses, mechanical energy damping and stiffness matrices its deformation on planes –and and is studied. When mounting guardrails their poles are dug into soil or are concreted (e.g. on bridges or viaducts). Therefore studying the deformation process of the guardrail poles the impact of soil is taken into consideration.