Biology as inspiration for creative design of roadside safety hardware: A perspective on the state of the art
Roadside safety hardware, such as longitudinal barriers and crash cushions, is part of the highway infrastructure used to protect an errant vehicle from crashing into fixed roadside objects in a well-controlled manner. Despite constantly improved design and standardized full-scale impact testing of...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Materials & Design |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525001807 |
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| Summary: | Roadside safety hardware, such as longitudinal barriers and crash cushions, is part of the highway infrastructure used to protect an errant vehicle from crashing into fixed roadside objects in a well-controlled manner. Despite constantly improved design and standardized full-scale impact testing of the roadside safety hardware, more than 3% of U.S. traffic fatalities are caused by the inefficiency of the roadside safety hardware. This perspective article highlights the need for innovative designs to enhance protection and mitigate impact severity. In nature, many plants and animals are optimized to adapt to various overload conditions and have demonstrated superior impact-resistant and energy-absorbing capabilities. Careful study of these biological structures may inspire the development of a new generation of soft, flexible, curvilinear roadside safety hardware. |
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| ISSN: | 0264-1275 |