Development of a novel high-performance portable barrier based on full-scale field tests and simulation optimization

Existing portable barriers often sustain severe damage or catastrophic failure when subjected to vehicle collisions at high protection levels. As the number of road reconstruction and expansion projects grows, the safety performance of portable barriers becomes crucial for safeguarding the well-being of personnel in construction work zones. Moreover, numerical analysis has been extensively employed in simulating and evaluating roadside safety hardware over the past decade. However, in contrast to simple material tests, the actual damage modes and deformation mechanisms of barriers can differ substantially from simulated outcomes.​ Therefore, two sets of full-scale impact tests (at 80 km/h and 60 km/h) were initially carried out. In accordance with the design specifications for portable barriers outlined in international standards, the impact resistance of a newly designed portable concrete barrier (NPCB-2) at its most unfavorable installation position was investigated. Finite element (FE) models were established using LS-DYNA and validated against the crash test data to ensure the reliability of barrier safety performance evaluation.​ Subsequently, the validated FE models were utilized to assess the effects of reinforcement spacing, connection thickness, and barrier segment length on actual impact performance. Additionally, additional reinforcing bars were incorporated to further enhance the bonding strength between rectangular steel tubes and steel rebars, leading to the proposal of a modified portable barrier configuration (NPCB-4). Numerical simulations verified that the impact resistance performance of the modified barrier, including the impact process, stress distribution, acceleration, angular displacement, and energy absorption, meets the requirements of relevant specifications. The combined experimental-simulation approach adopted in this barrier design offers a valuable reference for the development of novel barrier configurations in the future.​