Abstract:A new type of prefabricated composite guardrail suitable for expressway environments is proposed. This structure combines the high strength of rigid guardrails with the buffering characteristics of semi-rigid guardrails. The post-poured open combination design of UHPC (ultrahigh performance concrete) is innovatively adopted in order to enhance the protective capabilities while taking into account economy and construction convenience. Its construction cost lies between that of traditional steel guardrails and concrete guardrails, and has a promising prospect for engineering application. Based on LS-DYNA software, a reliable finite element model is established to systematically simulate the collision process of various vehicle models such as small cars, large buses and trucks with guardrails at specified speeds. The safety protective performances of guardrails are evaluated. Under the collision conditions of different vehicle models, none of the connection parts of the guardrail are damaged, and the overall structure remains stable, demonstrating the excellent crashworthiness and anti-deformation ability and verifying the reliability and effectiveness of the guardrails in practical road protection. Furthermore, through the optimization of materials and construction techniques, the design achieves a balance between cost efficiency and safety performance, providing an efficient solution for expressway safety infrastructure.
