Finite element analysis of the crash performance of W-beam guardrail systems

Finite element computer simulation has proven to be an essential tool in evaluating roadside hardware structures and is used in this analysis to evaluate the crash performance of G4-1S guardrail systems with two different designs. A finite element model is developed in which the shape of the post is incorporated into the soil mesh and a single surface sliding interface included to account for the contact between the post and the soil. The model was validated against available static and dynamic tests of a single I-beam steel post embedded in gray clay soil. Comparisons between test data and simulation have shown that the model was able to capture the correct response the system. Once validated, the model was used to evaluate the performance of the G4-1S W-beam guardrail systems.; In this analysis, a detailed finite element model of the G4-1S W-beam guardrail was developed and the crash response of the system simulated when impacted by a pick up truck traveling at 100km/h. Simulation results were compared to results from full-scale-crash test and good agreement was observed. The non-linear dynamic explicit finite element code LS-DYNA was used to perform the simulations and all models developed using MSC/PATRAN, an LS-INGRID preprocessor and LS-DYNA3D program as the solver. Post processing was done using LS-POST.