Safety Eligibility Letter CC-57D

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590

December 18, 2015

In Reply Refer To:
HSST/CC57D

Mr. Bret Eckert P.E.
Engineering Applications Manager
Trinity Highway Products
3617 Cincinnati Avenue
Rocklin, CA 95677

Dear Mr. Eckert:

This letter is in response to your August 1, 2014 request for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to review a roadside safety device, hardware, or system for eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program. This FHWA letter of eligibility is assigned FHWA control number CC-57D and is valid until a subsequent letter is issued by FHWA that expressly references this device.

Decision
The following devices are eligible, with details provided in the form which is attached as an integral part of this letter:

• QuadGuard Elite System Modification

Scope of this Letter

To be found eligible for Federal-aid funding, modified roadside safety devices should meet the crash test and evaluation criteria contained in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350. However, the FHWA, the Department of Transportation, and the United States Government do not regulate the manufacture of roadside safety devices. Eligibility for reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program does not establish approval, certification or endorsement of the device for any particular purpose or use. 

This letter is not a determination by the FHWA, the Department of Transportation, or the United States Government that a vehicle crash involving the device will result in any particular outcome, nor is it a guarantee of the in-service performance of this device. Proper manufacturing, installation, and maintenance are required in order for this device to function as tested.

This finding of eligibility is limited to the crashworthiness of the system and does not cover other structural features, nor conformity with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

Eligibility for Reimbursement

FHWA previously issued an eligibility letter for the roadside safety system described in your pending request. Your pending request now identifies a modification to that roadside safety system

The original roadside safety device information is provided here:

The modification(s) to the QuadGuard covered by this letter are:

1. Modified the bolt type used to attach the nose belt support legs to the nose belt from elevator head style to hex head style.
2. Modified the diaphragm chain protective coating from purchasing the chain in black, uncoated condition and hot dipped galvanizing after cutting to length to purchasing galvanized chain. The chain remains the same size and grade with identical properties.
3. Modified the wire rope clamp used for the cylinder retention cables by changing the clamp rod diameter from 7/16" to 1/2". The wire rope clamp retains is size for 1/2" cable and provides increased clamping force with the larger rod diameter and correspondingly sized nuts.
4. Improved the fit between the diaphragm components by lengthening the diaphragm side plate from 20 7/8" to 21". This modification provides for a improved fit between the QuadBeam panel and cylinder edge guard.
5. Modified the part number of the bolt used to attach the nose belt to the nose cylinder. There is no change to the size or type of bolt.
6. Improved the assembly of the Hit Indicator post by increasing the hole diameters and providing fastener clearance in the post tubing from 1/2" to 9/16" and 1/4" to 5/16", respectively.
7. Improved the diaphragm lower reinforcements horizontal fillet weld by increasing total weld length on each surface from 17" to 18".
8. Improved the hinge pivot attachment on the wide system diaphragm hinge plates by adding 1/8" fillet welds to the outside surfaces of the hinge pair.
9. Modified the QuadGuard Elite Backup Assembly by eliminating the backup cable support bracket and corresponding fasteners from the backup assembly. The rear cylinder cable will continue to be wrapped around the lower portion of the diaphragm/tension strut backup. This method of wrapping the cable around the lower diaphragm has been the standard method of retaining the cylinders in all other bays in the QuadGuard Elite.
10. Modified the QuadGuard Product and Assembly Manuals to the current Trinity Highway format.
11. Improved the method of ensuring consistent preloading of the fender panel rear tension springs from compressing 1/16" to 1/8", to tightening the nut on mushroom washer bolt until it reaches end of threads. This method eliminates nut loosening and maintains consistent fender panel end gap. The protective coating on the fender panel springs was improved from power coated to mechanically galvanized. The spring rate will be unchanged yielding superior corrosion protection.

FHWA concurs with the recommendation of the accredited crash testing laboratory as stated within the attached form.

Full Description of the Eligible Device

The device and supporting documentation, including reports of the crash tests or other testing done, videos of any crash testing, and/or drawings of the device, are described in the attached form.

Notice

If a manufacturer makes any modification to any of their roadside safety hardware that has an existing eligibility letter from FHWA, the manufacturer must notify FHWA of such modification with a request for continued eligibility for reimbursement. The notice of all modifications to a device must be accompanied by:

• Significant modifications – For these modifications, crash test results must be submitted with accompanying documentation and videos.
• Non-signification modifications – For these modifications, a statement from the crash test laboratory on the potential effect of the modification on the ability of the device to meet the relevant crash test criteria.

FHWA's determination of continued eligibility for the modified hardware will be based on whether the modified hardware will continue to meet the relevant crash test criteria.

You are expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on design, installation and maintenance requirements to ensure proper performance.

You are expected to certify to potential users that the hardware furnished has the same chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as that submitted for review, and that it will meet the test and evaluation criteria of the NCHRP Report 350.

Issuance of this letter does not convey property rights of any sort or any exclusive privilege. This letter is based on the premise that information and reports submitted by you are accurate and correct. We reserve the right to modify or revoke this letter if: (1) there are any inaccuracies in the information submitted in support of your request for this letter, (2) the qualification testing was flawed, (3) in-service performance or other information reveals safety problems, (4) the system is significantly different from the version that was crash tested, or (5) any other information indicates that the letter was issued in error or otherwise does not reflect full and complete information about the crashworthiness of the system.

Standard Provisions

• To prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of eligibility designated as FHW A control number CC-57D shall not be reproduced except in full. This letter and the test documentation upon which it is based are public information. All such letters and documentation may be reviewed upon request.
• This letter shall not be construed as authorization or consent by the FHWA to use, manufacture, or sell any patented system for which the applicant is not the patent holder.
• lflhe subject device is a patented product it may be considered to be proprietary. If proprietary systems are specified by a highway agency for use on Federal-aid projects: (a) they must be supplied through competitive bidding with equally suitable unpatented items; (b) the highway agency must certify that they are essential for synchronization with the existing highway facilities or that no equally suitable alternative exists; or ( c) they must be used for research or for a distinctive type of construction on relatively short sections ofroad for experimental purposes.

Our regulations concerning proprietary products are contained in Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 63 5 .411.

Enclosures