For more than 40 years, one reoccurring theme in each re-writing of crash test and evaluation procedures is the recommendation to conduct in-service performance evaluations (ISPEs) of roadside safety features. 

The laboratory performance of roadside safety hardware is tested and evaluated using criteria published in AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH).  The site location and installation of roadside safety hardware is guided by criteria published in the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide (RDG).  ISPE criteria has only just now become available under NCHRP Research Report 1010: In-Service Performance Evaluation: Guidelines for the Assembly and Analysis of Data.  A methodology is needed to implement the changes to MASH based upon the findings of ISPEs conducted using the criteria provided within NCHRP Research Report 1010. 

National guidance that defines acceptable field performance is currently being developed under NCHRP Project 22-58, “National In-Service Performance Evaluation Guidelines for Defining Acceptable Roadside Safety Hardware” and will provide states departments of transportation (DOTs) with the ability to establish crashworthiness without having to conduct many crash tests.  A methodology to implement ISPE findings into crash testing criteria can be used to limit unnecessary updates to MASH to address vehicle fleet changes.

The objective of this research project is to develop a methodology for using ISPEs to update the crash test impact conditions and evaluation criteria currently provided within MASH.