Rubber T-Lok Barrier passes ‘crash test’ and gains Australian regulatory approval
The rubber T-Lok road safety barrier, developed by FEIT’s APTES Research Group, has passed a milestone in its commercialisation journey, with formal regulatory approval granted by the Austroads Safety Barrier Assessment Panel (ASBAP).
Made from concrete and recycled tyres, the product was created through a collaboration between Saferoads and FEIT’s Advanced Protective Technologies of Engineering Structures (APTES) Research Group, with funding and support from Tyre Stewardship Australia.
Recycled rubber content is 4% by volume in the Concrete, helping to reduce the environmental impact of end-of-life tyres. One kilometre of T-Lok barriers uses 12 tonnes of recycled rubber, which is the equivalent of 2,000 passenger tyres. It is projected the product could use up to 60,000 (360 tonnes) passenger tyres per year.
Professor Tuan Ngo, who leads the APTES Research Group, said the inclusion of rubber crumb derived from tyres enhances the flexibility and durability of the concrete barrier, resulting in better energy absorption, reduced risk to vehicle occupants and increased barrier lifespan.
Professor Ngo said he is “hopeful that Rubber T-Lok Barrier could be being installed on Australian roads within a year”.
The crash barrier was successfully crash-tested in September 2022. ASBAP has now assessed that the Rubber T-Lok Barrier meets the crash test and evaluation criteria as outlined in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The test level achieved is MASH Test Level 3 (TL-3), which is 2.27-tonne quad cab pickup at a speed of 100km/h, at an angle of 25 degrees.
Saferoads is an ASX-listed company headquartered in Pakenham, Victoria, and has gained approval from Transport for NSW for the product, with the next step to obtain remaining state approvals. Saferoads’ Engineering Manager, Casey McMaster, said:
“We are all excited to see the research and development process successfully completed. This product is the first of its kind in the temporary crash barrier market in terms of contributing to Australia's circular economy."
To read more, visit here:
- ASX Announcement (11 April 2023): https://company-announcements.afr.com/asx/srh/7a183635-d7f0-11ed-9e99-8290c998fd60.pdf
- Next generation road barriers: https://research.unimelb.edu.au/strengths/updates/news/next-generation-road-barriers-to-increase-safety-and-decrease-waste,-using-concrete-and-old-tyres
- Tyre Stewardship case study: https://www.tyrestewardship.org.au/case-studies/t-lok-rubber-safety-barrier/