Anatomy of a wire rope safety barrier impact

Carriageway departure crashes make up a significant proportion of fatalities and serious injuries in regional Victoria. Wire rope safety barrier (WRSB) is a proven countermeasure, eliminating 80-90% of serious trauma when fully installed. To demonstrate its life-saving benefits, the TAC staged a ‘typical’ fatigue-related crash on a public road under controlled conditions, driving a passenger vehicle into a WRSB at 87km/h at a 7-degree angle, while filming and making measurements. The vehicle was effectively contained by the WRSB, disengaging at 46km/h with decelerations well within tolerable levels. The test demonstrated the effectiveness of WRSB and will be used to validate future simulations aimed at improving WRSB design.