Development of Glass-Fiber-ReinforcedPolyethylene Roadside Restraints

Replacement of most common semi-rigid roadside barrier system, based on steel w-beam guardrail, by a thermoplastic polymer composite as the guardrail material is considered. With this aim, production technology of E-glass fiber/low density polyethylene composite by a continuous thermoforming process from glass fiber roving, glass-fiber fabric, and polyethylene sheets is being developed. The tensile strength and deformability along the reinforcement direction of the composite material produced has been characterized, and the response upon vehicle impact of the respective restraint simulated numerically and tested experimentally.