BACKGROUND

Many states use AASHTO and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard specifications for guardrail components. However, changes to the state of practice and to guardrail materials have created a need to revise AASHTO Standard Specification M 180-18, Corrugated Sheet Steel Beams for Highway Guardrail, and its associated material standards, including those referenced in M 180-18.

A lack of consistent standard specifications can increase fabrication costs for hardware suppliers and ultimately transportation agencies. A manufacturer can spend a significant amount of resources matching one state’s standard specifications only to start completely over to match those of another state. Consistency of specifications can also help increase competition, allowing for lower hardware costs for transportation agencies.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this research were to (a) perform a comprehensive review of AASHTO M 180- 18 and its associated AASHTO and ASTM standards and (b) propose needed revisions to bring the specifications into conformance with current requirements and the state of practice for highway guardrail systems.