Abstract:Aiming at the problem of reduced effective height and diminished protective performance of existing SB-level wavy-beam guardrails after pavement overlay, this study proposes a dual-mechanism cooperative maintenance design scheme that integrates dynamic deformation compensation and static height adjustment. By constructing a parallelogram-like blocking device structure, dynamic lift compensation during collisions is achieved, with a maximum dynamic compensation of 175 mm. Coupled with a modular adjustment system utilizing reserved holes on the guardrail posts, height adjustment for an overlay thickness of 100 mm is realized. In addition, a model was established based on the finite element method, and collision simulations were conducted in accordance with the Highway Guardrail Safety Performance Evaluation Standard (JTG B05-01—2013). Full-scale vehicle impact tests were carried out under conditions involving small passenger cars, medium buses, and large trucks. The results show that the guardrail meets all safety specification requirements both before and after overlay construction, maintains stable effective height, and offers advantages such as convenient construction and cost-effectiveness. This research provides a systematic solution to the challenge of height adaptability of highway guardrails in reconstruction and expansion projects, demonstrating significant engineering application value.