High flare breakaway guardrail terminal

Abstract

A guardrail system having a standard length-of-need section and a terminal end, the terminal end having a high effective flare rate of at least 5:1 is provided with two independent and cooperating cable anchor systems. One of the cable anchor systems is a side impact releasing mechanism which may include a strut connecting a first and a second breakaway post; a strut anchor release affixed at a first end to a first breakaway post and at a second end to the rail element; a strut with a plug weld anchor release; a strut with a shear bolt anchor release; and a strut with an angled plate anchor release.

1 . A guardrail system comprising a standard length of need section and a terminal end, the terminal end having a high effective flare rate of at least 5:1. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising two independent breakaway end posts and cooperating cable anchor mechanisms. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a side impact releasing mechanism for disengagement of an anchor cable from a rail element of said terminal end to facilitate breakaway of end posts in side impacts near the terminal end. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the side releasing mechanism is selected from the group consisting of
 a strut connecting a first and a second breakaway post,   a strut anchor release affixed at a first end to a first breakaway post and at a second end to the rail element,   a strut with a plug weld anchor release,   a strut with a shear bolt anchor release, and   a strut with an angled plate anchor release.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a shortened post between a first breakaway post and a third breakaway post to allow earlier development of tensile force in a guardrail of the system and to minimize potential for vehicular snagging.