Abstract
A timber guardrail made of sustainable tropical hardwoods has been developed in the Netherlands. The guardrail is an environmentally friendly alternative for zinc-coated steel barriers. The guardrail is made of a combination of two durable hardwood species: angelim vermelho (Dinizia excelsa) from Brazil and azobé (Lophira alata) from Africa. Full-scale tests have shown that the guardrail is able to withstand the impact of a 13000 kg bus driving at a speed of 70 km/h and an impact angle of 20° as well as that of a car of 900 kg having an impact speed of 100 km/h and same angle. Steam bent curved boards are used as energy absorbers from the passenger car impact. After the full-scale tests with the bus, no damage was found in the timber elements, and the guardrail had only to be straightened, saving repair costs during the service life of a guardrail. The guardrail fulfils the requirements specified in European standard EN 1317 Road Safety Systems for the H2 level with accident severity index of 1.0.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | ISCHP 2019 - 7th International Scientific Conference on Hardwood Processing |
| Editors | Jan-Willem van de Kuilen, Wolfgang Gard |
| Place of Publication | Delft |
| Publisher | Delft University of Technology |
| Pages | 278-285 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 |
| Event | ISCHP 2019: 7th International Scientific Conference on Hardwood Processing - Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands Duration: 27 Aug 2019 → 30 Aug 2019 https://www.aanmelder.nl/105829 |
Conference
| Conference | ISCHP 2019: 7th International Scientific Conference on Hardwood Processing |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | ISCHP 2019 |
| Country/Territory | Netherlands |
| City | Delft |
| Period | 27/08/19 → 30/08/19 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- Wood
- Sustainable design
- design innovation