Mechanical Testing - Parliament of Victoria · Melbourne Testing Services A.C.N. 088 395 153. Unit 1/15 Pickering Road Mulgrave, Victoria 3170, Australia Telephone: 03 9560 2759,

Melbourne Testing Services A.C.N. 088 395 153. Unit 1/15 Pickering Road Mulgrave, Victoria 3170, Australia

Telephone: 03 9560 2759, Facsimile: 03 9560 2769, Mobile: 0419 116 733

E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.melbtest.com.au

Melbourne

TestingServices

Melbourne

TestingServices

Mechanical Testing

Tensile

Compression

Bend

Shear

Load

Structures

Fasteners

Tensioning & Staying Systems

Structural Bearings

Unit 1/15 Pickering Road

Mulgrave, Victoria 3170

Telephone 03 9560 2759

Mobile 0419 116 733

Page 1 of 5 Melbourne Testing Services Pty Ltd

ABN: 71353261540

The tests reported herein have been performed in accordance with approved Melbourne Testing Services procedures. This document shall not be reproduced except in full.

Melbourne

TestingServices

Melbourne

TestingServices

IN CONFIDENCE TO THE CLIENT

REPORT NO: MT-11/168

IMPACT TESTING OF AN RPS “MFC” (MOTOR CYCLE FRIENDLY) IMPACT FORCE

REDUCTION CUSHION

CLIENT: ROY BULL

RPS INDUSTRIES PTY LTD

4 WILLS STREET

WARRAGUL VIC 3820

DATE OF TEST: MARCH 8TH

– MARCH 9TH

2011

DATE OF REPORT: APRIL 1ST

2011

TEST SYNOPSIS:

A protective Motor Cycle Friendly (MCF) impact force

reduction cushion designed to reduce the magnitude of

impact force from accidental collision with roadside posts

was delivered to the Melbourne Testing Service (MTS)

laboratory for testing.

The MCF cushion was manufactured to fit “Sentryline”

Cable, Barrier-line posts produced by Australian

Construction Products (ACP). The cushion, as seen in

Fig.1, was manufactured from polymeric material and

incorporated a split seam on one side to facilitate ease of

installation onto existing in-situ posts (see Fig.2). Upon

arrival at the laboratory, the test items were examined and

the following details recorded:

RPS-MCF Post Cushion

Height: 490mm

Width: 200mm

Depth: 160mm

Wall Thickness: 50mm

Sentryline Steel Post

Length: 1220mm

Width: 97mm

Breadth: 42mm

Wall Thickness: 3mm

At the request of the client, impact testing was required to determine the energy absorption attributes

of the cushion when fitted to the Sentryline barrier posts. The aim of the testing was to compare the

impact force reduction of posts fitted with the cushion against the performance of an unprotected

steel post as currently used on Australian road networks.

FIG.1

RPS MCF POST CUSHION

Report No: MT-11/168


ABN: 71353261540


TEST PROCEDURE:

A rigid steel support frame was constructed to simulate in

ground conditions that would normally occur in typical

roadside installations. The support frame was bolted to the

laboratory test floor and the test posts were telescopically

fitted as shown in Fig.3

Impact testing was conducted by swinging a pendulum mass

weighing 80kg from a range of pre-determined drop heights.

These tests were conducted at three angles to the profile of

the post as follows:

0o (coincident/parallel to the cable orientation)

25o (offset 25

o to the cable orientation)

90o (perpendicular to the cable orientation)

TEST DATA:

Test data curves for RPS-MCF cable barrier posts at a drop

height of 0.9m, equivalent to an impact speed of four metres

per second (4m/s) are provided in Figures 4a to 4c.

FIG.3A

IMPACTOR SETUP FOR MCF CUSHION

POST TEST

IMPACT 0O

TEST SETUP

FIG.2

MCF CUSHION POST

TESTING ASSEMBLY

IMPACT TEST

FIG.3B

MCF CUSHION POST

IMPACT 0O

TEST SETUP



ABN: 71353261540


TEST OBSERVATIONS:

As can be seen from the test data curves as presented in

Figure 4, the RPS-MCF Impact Force Reduction Cushion

absorbed significant amounts of energy when impacted by

the 80kg mass. The cushion was most effective when the

direction of impact was aligned at zero degrees (0o) or in the

direction of the cable. In this case the impact force was

≈90% less than the force measured when tested against an

unprotected post. As the line impact angle was increased, the

effectiveness of the RPS-MCF IFRC’s impact force

reduction properties, decreased. However, the force

reduction at 90o was still considerable at ≈45%.

COMMENTS:

As can be seen from figure 6 the optimum performance of the

RPS-MCF cushion was recorded between 4 to 5m/s. Tests

conducted at higher speeds indicate that the relative

difference in impact force between un-cushioned and

cushioned posts is lower. This was likely to be due to the

energy absorbed by plastic deformation of the steel post.

However, the pressure exerted on the RPS-MCF cushioned

post is likely to be less compared to an uncovered post due a

larger impact area on the RPS MCF cushion. Subsequently at

higher speeds it is plausible that the impact force resulting on a RPS-MCF cushioned post would be

lower compared to an uncovered post.

FIG.4A

0 DEGREE IMPACT TEST

Without Cushion

With Cushion

0o

FIG.3C

CUSHIONED BARRIER POST

IMPACT 0O

TEST SETUP

FIG.3C

MCF CUSHION POST

IMPACT 0O

TEST SETUP



ABN: 71353261540


FIG.4B


FIG.4C


Without Cushion

With Cushion

Without Cushion

With Cushion

25o

90o



ABN: 71353261540


FIG.6

25 DEGREE OBLONG POST TESTS AT

PRE-DETERMINED DROP HEIGHTS/IMPACT SPEEDS

IMPACT VELOCITY CONVERSION TABLE

Notes: 1. Melbourne Testing Services (MTS) Pty Ltd shall not be liable for loss, cost, damages or expenses incurred by the client or any other person or

company, resulting from the use of any information or interpretation given in this report. In no case shall Melbourne Testing Services Pty Ltd be

liable for consequential damages including, but not limited to, lost profit, damages for failure to meet deadlines and lost production arising from this report. This document shall not be reproduced except in full and relates only to the items tested.

2. It remains the responsibility of the client to ensure that the samples tested are representative of the entire product batch.

3. MTS shall take no responsibility for the procurement and authenticity of the test product as described herein. 4. This report is specific to the test items in their state at the time of testing. It should not be taken as a statement that all products in all states of

repair, would also perform in the same manner.

5. MTS shall take no responsibility for the interpretation or misinterpretation of the procedures or calculation methods as provided herein or for the appropriateness or validity of the test procedures for the test items described and reported herein.

6. MTS shall take no responsibility for the installation procedures used for the test items as described herein.

7. The tests as reported herein are considered Experimental Type Tests and therefore do not validate or certify the products with any Australian or International standards that may apply.

ROD WILKIE AUTHORISED SIGNATORY

Impact Speed (m/s) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Impact Speed (km/h) 3.6 7.2 10.8 14.4 18.0 21.6 25.2 28.8 32.4 36.0

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

Impact Force

(kN)

Impact Speed (m/s)

With Cushion

Without Cushion

Documents

Mechanical Testing - Parliament of Victoria · Melbourne Testing Services A.C.N. 088 395 153. Unit 1/15 Pickering Road Mulgrave, Victoria 3170, Australia Telephone: 03 9560 2759,