NCHRP 22-40 [RFP]

Update to AASHTO M 180-18 and Associated Highway Guardrail Specifications

Posted Date: 9/10/2018

Project Data

Funds: $300,000

Contract Time: 24 months

(includes 1 month for NCHRP review of the Phase I interim report and
3 months for NCHRP review and for contractor revision of the draft
final report)

Authorization to
Begin Work: 3/1/2019 -- estimated

Staff Responsibility: Edward T. Harrigan

Phone: 540-454-2149
Email: eharriga@nas.edu

RFP Close Date: 11/6/2018

Fiscal Year: 2019

BACKGROUND

Many states use AASHTO and ASTM standard specifications for their guardrail components. 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 standards can increase fabrication costs for hardware suppliers and ultimately
transportation agencies. A manufacturer can spend a significant amount of resources matching one
state’s standards only to start completely over to match another state’s standards. Consistency of
specifications will also help to increase competition, allowing for the possibility of lower hardware costs
for transportation agencies.
Some examples of developments in materials and the state of practice for highway guardrail systems
that are not currently addressed by AASHTO M 180-18 are:

· The asymmetrical W-Beam to thrie-beam transition section that has been in use for
a number of years.

· Inconsistency in the material requirements for thrie-beam terminal transitions and

connections.

· Use of high-strength steel bolts connecting thrie-beam terminal connectors to rigid

barrier.

· Multiple slot patterns for thrie-beam terminal connectors, thrie-beam, and W-beam
rails.

· Lack of consistent markings for components of the highway guardrail system.

· Changes to the applicable locations and geometric equivalents for ASTM standard
bolts.

· Use of multiple grades for steel posts.

· Lack of guidance for shop-bent W-beam or thrie-beam rails (e.g., longitudinal

radius of curve, radius tolerances, marking of beam radius to aid maintenance, etc.).

· Lack of changes to the appropriate dimensions and tolerances (metric and inch) for
holes in steel guardrails and posts.

· Lack of inclusion of anchor wire rope standards in AASHTO M 180-18.

· Lack of standards for swage fittings.

· Changes to bolt tolerance, shape, and torque requirements.

· Lack of paint and thermal spray specifications for guardrail beams and posts to
meet the requirements for Type III guardrails.

· Implications of the greater longevity of painted weathering steels compared to

ordinary carbon steels.

· Need for specifications for stainless steel beams, posts, and bolting to meet the
requirements for Type IV guardrails.

Recent years have seen an increased focus on the performance of roadside hardware. Research is
needed to assure that transportation agencies are specifying and using correct materials in their
highway guardrail systems.
OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this research are 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.

The revised standard shall specify—or make reference to standards for—materials for components of
the highway guardrail system, including beams, posts, end terminals, connecting hardware, etc.

The proposed revisions and supporting commentary shall be provided to Technical Subcommittee 4d
of the AASHTO Committee on Materials and Pavements (COMP TS 4d) and the AASHTO Technical
Committee for Roadside Safety (TCRS) for review and possible adoption.

RESEARCH PLAN

Proposers are asked to provide a detailed research plan for accomplishing the project objectives and for
producing the deliverables required by each phase of the project. Proposers are expected to describe
research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and
contract time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate
their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach to meeting the objective. The
work proposed for each phase must be divided into tasks and proposers must describe the work
proposed in each task in detail.

Deliverables shall include, at a minimum:

Phase I

1. A critical review of the literature on material requirements for highway guardrail systems. The review
shall include, but not be limited to, existing state DOT specifications, standard drawings, crash test
reports, material standards (e.g., AASHTO, ASTM, ANSI, MIL-STD, MASH, etc.), and research reports. In
addition to the bulleted items in the Background, topics of interest include, but are not limited to,
weather-resistant steel, guardrail paint systems to enhance safety, alternate metallic coatings (zinc-
aluminum-magnesium and aluminized), stainless steel, guardrail system durability, and bolt
performance requirements.

2. An online survey of transportation agencies, crash testing facilities, manufacturers, guardrail installers
and repair personnel, research agencies, and other relevant organizations for issues that these
organizations have with generic highway guardrail system components (materials, geometry, marking of
components, tolerances, etc.). NCHRP shall review the proposed survey and provide comments before
the survey is distributed to participants.
3. An analysis of the results of the critical literature review and the survey to identify and prioritize (a)
deficiencies in current AASHTO M 180-18 and its associated standards and (b) the scope of revisions
needed to remedy these deficiencies.

4. An interim report that presents the critical literature review, survey results, and the prioritized
analysis of the deficiencies in the specifications.

Note: The contractor shall meet with NCHRP within 1 month of the submission of the interim report to
obtain approval to conduct Phase II.

Phase II

1. Proposed revisions to AASHTO M 180-18 and its associated AASHTO and ASTM material standards,
with supporting commentary, to address the deficiencies identified in the Phase I. Revisions shall be
presented as redline and strikeout markups with supporting commentary for review and balloting by
COMP TS 4d and TCRS. Revised figures shall meet AASHTO publication standards.

Note: Redline and strikeout markups of ASTM standards are not required.

Note: The contractor shall meet with NCHRP within 1 month of the submission of the redline and
strikeout markups to obtain approval of the proposed revisions.

2. Presentation of the proposed revisions to the standards approved by NCHRP to COMP TS 4d

and TCRS and the final versions of the markups reflecting all changes requested by the committees.

3. A final report that documents results, summarizes findings, draws conclusions, and presents (a)
proposed revisions to AASHTO M 180-18 and its associated standards for adoption by COMP TS 4d
and TCRS and (b) a list of all proposed revisions cross-referenced to supporting technical information in
the final report.

SPECIAL NOTES

A. The proposal, including appendices, shall not exceed 40 single-spaced pages; the Research Plan, Item
4 of the proposal, shall not exceed 15 single-spaced pages, in 12-point font or larger. For this proposal,
the requirements to (a) separate items 4 through 14 with color-coded or tab-type dividers and (b) begin
items 5 through 9 on new pages are both waived.

B. The research team shall include expertise in guardrail crash testing and guardrail performance.

C. For budgeting purposes, proposers should plan for (a) two in-person meetings with NCHRP in
Washington, DC or Irvine, CA and (b) one meeting each with COMP TS 4d and TCRS at locations to be
determined.
D. Proposals should include a task-by-task breakdown of labor hours for each staff member as shown in
Figure 4 in the brochure, "Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals"
(http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/crp/docs/ProposalPrep.pdf). Proposals also should include a
breakdown of all costs (e.g., wages, indirect costs, travel, materials, and total) for each task using Figures
5 and 6 in the brochure. Please note that TRB Cooperative Research Program subawards (selected
proposers are considered subawards to the National Academy of Sciences, the parent organization of
TRB) must comply with 2 CFR 200 – Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit
Requirements for Federal Awards. These requirements include a provision that proposers without a
"federally" Negotiated Indirect Costs Rate Agreement (NICRA) shall be subject to a maximum allowable
indirect rate of 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs. Modified Total Direct Costs include all salaries and
wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of
each lower-tier subaward and subcontract. Modified Total Direct Costs exclude equipment, capital
expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships,
participant support costs and the portion of each lower-tier subaward and subcontract in excess of
$25,000.

E. The NCHRP is a practical, applied research program that produces implementable products addressing
problems faced by transportation practitioners and managers. The benefits of NCHRP research are
realized only when the results are implemented in state DOTs and other agencies. Implementation of
the research product must be considered throughout the process, from problem statement
development to research contract and beyond completion of the research. Item 4(c), "Anticipated
Research Results," must include the following: (a) the "product" expected from the research, (b) the
audience or "market" for this product, (c) a realistic assessment of impediments to successful
implementation, and (d) the institutions and individuals who might take leadership in deploying the
research product. The project panel will develop and maintain an implementation plan throughout the
life of the project. The research team will be expected to provide input to an implementation team
consisting of panel members, AASHTO committee members, the NCHRP Implementation Coordinator,
and others in order to meet the goals of NCHRP Active Implementation: Moving Research into Practice,
available at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/NCHRP_ActiveImplementation.pdf.

F. Item 5 in the proposal, "Qualifications of the Research Team," must include a section labeled
"Disclosure." Information relevant to the NCHRP's need to ensure objectivity and to be aware of
possible sources of significant financial or organizational conflict of interest in conducting the research
must be presented in this section of the proposal. For example, under certain conditions, ownership of
the proposing agency, other organizational relationships, or proprietary rights and interests could be
perceived as jeopardizing an objective approach to the research effort, and proposers are asked to
disclose any such circumstances and to explain how they will be accounted for in this study. If there are
no issues related to objectivity, this should be stated.

G. Proposals are evaluated by the NCHRP staff and project panels consisting of individuals collectively
very knowledgeable in the problem area. Selection of an agency is made by the project panel
considering the following factors: (1) the proposer's demonstrated understanding of the problem; (2)
the merit of the proposed research approach and experiment design; (3) the experience, qualifications,
and objectivity of the research team in the same or closely related problem area; (4) the plan for
ensuring application of results; (5) the proposer's plan for participation by Disadvantaged Business
Enterprises--small firms owned and controlled by minorities or women; and (6) the adequacy of the
facilities.

Note: The proposer's plan for participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises should be
incorporated in Item 12 of the proposal.

H. Copyrights - All data, written materials, computer software, graphic and photographic images, and
other information prepared under the contract and the copyrights therein shall be owned by the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The contractor and subcontractors will be
able to publish this material for non-commercial purposes, for internal use, or to further academic
research or studies with permission from TRB Cooperative Research Programs. The contractor and
subcontractors will not be allowed to sell the project material without prior approval by the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. By signing a contract with the National Academy of
Sciences, contractors accept legal responsibility for any copyright infringement that may exist in work
done for TRB. Contractors are therefore responsible for obtaining all necessary permissions for use of
copyrighted material in TRB's Cooperative Research Programs publications. For guidance on TRB's
policies on using copyrighted material please consult Section 5.4, "Use of Copyrighted Material," in the
Procedural Manual for Contractors.

Proposals (15 single-bound copies) are due not later than 4:30 p.m. on 11/6/2018.

This is a firm deadline, and extensions are not granted. In order to be considered for award, all copies of
the agency's proposal accompanied by the executed, unmodified Liability Statement must be in our
offices not later than the deadline shown, or the proposal will be rejected. Proposers may choose any
carrier or delivery service for their proposals. However, proposers assume the risk of proposal rejection
if the carrier or delivery service does not deliver all the required documents by the deadline.

Delivery Address:

PROPOSAL-NCHRP
ATTN: Christopher J. Hedges
Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Transportation Research Board
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001