WIRE ROPE SAFETY FENCE
PERFORMANCE HISTORY
The performance of the BRIFEN Wire Rope Safety Fence ( WRSF ) has been fully tested
by controlled crash testing of vehicles and also by the assessment of its behaviour under uncontrolled impact conditions
in the field , as a result of an accident.
Brifen WRSF performance history dates back to 1970 when controlled crash (impact) testing was commenced. Crash
testing to improve the Brifen WRSF has and is still continuing. All tests indicated rope deflections to be within
the required design parameters.
Performance to date of Brifen WRSF can be gauged by:
- One study of over 200 recorded impacts showed that there were no cross-overs of medians or fatal injuries as a result of vehicles colliding with the Brifen WRSF.
- On two of Sydney's motorways, the M4 and M5 there is a total of 24km of Brifen WRSF in the median. In over 80 impacts there have been no crossovers and the only known injury to a vehicle occupant was a bleeding nose.
- Brifen WRSF has been used as a barrier on bridges and culverts, both in a rural and urban environment. Its suitability as a bridge barrier was indicated by the 'verge' test and has been verified by field performance in a low speed environment or on a low volume rural road.
- While Brifen WRSF has been designed to restrain sedan vehicles it has been impacted by many trucks of all shapes and sizes. While in a number of instances measured deflections have been up to four metres, the ropes did not break but held the vehicle and did not permit a median crossover.
There are in excess of 3000km of Brifen WRSF installed in over 25 countries.
In Australia Brifen WRSF has been installed in every State and Territory . Total length of fence installed in
Australia since 1992 is over 180km.
While stopping and recovering a one-and-a-half tonne projectile from mid-air
after impacting at 113kph, the four wire ropes in BRIFEN WRSF VERGE
TEST showed these remarkable performance characteristics. Requested
by the RTA parkes (NSW) Division to simulate a culvert or bridge crossing, the test was conducted by M.I.R.A. in
the UK during October 1994. The 1.5 tonne projectile, a driverless Rover, was propelled by winch to a point 6m
from impact with the fence. The angle of impact was 20 degrees. RESULT: Vehicle minor body damage. No broken glass.
BRIFEN WRSF returned to normal alignment with 8 posts missing. COMMENT: The VERGE TEST confirmed BRIFEN WRSF regular
in-service performance.
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