W-BEAM GUARDRAIL
PART 1 GENERAL
1.1SECTION INCLUDES
A.W-Beam guardrail, post and blocks, W-Beam and Thrie-Beam guardrail
transition element, W-Beam guardrail anchors, W-beam buried in back slope terminals, W-Beam curved guardrail elements, W-Beam guardrail delineation and certification requirements for installation of W-Beam guardrail systems.
1.2RELATED SECTIONS
A.Section 02842: Delineators
B.Section 02890: Retroreflective Sheeting
C.Section 03055: Portland Cement Concrete
D.Section 03211: Reinforcing Steel and Welded Wire
E.Section 06055: Timber and Timber Treatment
1.3REFERENCES
A.AASHTO M 111: Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel
Products.
B.AASHTO M 180: Corrugated Sheet Steel Beams for Highway Guardrail
C.AASHTO M 232: Zinc Coating (Hot-Dip) on Iron and Steel Hardware
D.AASHTO M 235: Epoxy Resin Adhesives
E.AASHTO M 270: Carbon and High Strength Low Alloy Structural Steel,
Shapes, Plates and Bars and Quenched-and Tempered Alloy Structural Steel Plates for Bridges
F.ASTM A 500: Cold Formed Welded and Seamless Carbon Steel
Structure tubing in Rounds and Shapes
W-Beam Guardrail
G.ASTM A 563: Carbon and Alloy Steel Nuts
H.ASTM F 436: Hardened Steel Washers
I.ASTM F 3125: Heavy Hex Structural Bolts
1.4DEFINITIONS Not Used
1.5SUBMITTALS
A.Certificate of compliance for all products for information.
B.Guardrail Training Certificate for information – Refer to this Section,
Article 1.6 B.
1.6CERTIFIED GUARDRAIL INSTALLER
A.Responsibilities
1.Must be present at each location within the project and be an active
participant during the installation and maintenance repair of guardrail or elements of a W-Beam Guardrail System.
B.Qualifications
1.Attend the Department’s Guardrail Installation Training Course
(GRIT)and pass the UDOT Guardrail Training Final Examination.
a.American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA)
Guardrail Installation Training may be used as an alternate to the Department’s GRIT.
PART 2 PRODUCTS
2.1W-BEAM GUARDRAIL AND HARDWARE
A.W-Beam and Thrie-Beam Rail – Refer to BA Series Standard Drawings.
1.Minimum galvanizing requirement: Refer to AASHTO M 180, Type
1, Class A.
B.Bottom W-Beam rail or steel rub rail – Refer to BA Series Standard
Drawings.
1.W-Beam – Refer to requirements of this Section.
2.Channel rub rail – Refer to AASHTO M 160 and AASHTO M 270.
a.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 after punching and
cutting is complete.
b.Epoxy – Refer to AASHTO M 235.
W-Beam Guardrail
C.Hardware – Refer to BA Series Standard Drawings.
1.Manufacturer – Refer to AASHTO M 180.
2.Coatings – Refer to AASHTO M 232 or M 298.
2.2W-BEAM GUARDRAIL POSTS AND OFFSET BLOCKS
A.Steel post – Refer to AASHTO M 270 and AASHTO M 160.
1.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 after punching and cutting
is complete.
B.Wood Post and wood blocks – Refer to Section 06055.
C.Composite or plastic offset blocks for steel post installations.
1.Certify according to MASH test requirements.
D.Solid Rock Formation Post Backfill.
1.Free draining two fractured face granular backfill meeting Table 1
and at 90% following AASHTO T335.
Table 1 Sieve Size Percent Passing 1½ inch 90-100 1 inch 20-55 ¾ inch 0-15 ⅜ inch 0-5
2.3TRANSITION ELEMENTS
.
A.Thrie-Beam Terminal Connector and Terminal Connector Plate Hardware.
1.Structural hex bolts conforming to ASTM F 3125, Grade A 325
2.Hardened washers and heavy hex nuts according to ASTM
F 436 and A 563 respectively.
3.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111.
2.4ANCHOR ELEMENTS
A.Refer to the requirements of this Section for W-Beam guardrail, posts,
blocks, and hardware.
B.Anchor Plate – Refer to AASHTO M 270.
1.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 after punching, drilling, and
cutting is complete.
W-Beam Guardrail
C.Bearing Plate – Refer to AASHTO M 270.
1.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 after punching, drilling, and
cutting is complete.
D.Anchor Post Foundation Tube and Plate.
1.Tube – Refer to ASTM A 500.
2.Plate – Refer to AASHTO M 270.
3.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 after punching, drilling,
cutting, and welding is complete.
E.Strut and yolk assembly – Refer to ASTM A36.
1.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 after punching, drilling, and
cutting is complete.
2.5W-BEAM BURIED-IN-BACKSLOPE TERMINALS
.
A.Refer to BA Series Standard Drawings for Buried-In-Backslope Terminal
Anchor options.
1.Steel Post with plate – Refer to AASHTO M 270 and AASHTO M
160. Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 after punching, drilling, cutting, and welding is complete.
2.Concrete Block – Use Class A(AE) concrete. Refer to Section
03055. Refer to Section 03211 for coated reinforcing steel requirement.
2.6W-BEAM CURVED GUARDRAIL
A.Refer to plan set for radius requirements.
B.Shop bend curves.
C.Refer to this Section for W-Beam guardrail and anchor system.
D.Controlled Release Terminal Post (CRT) breakaway post according to
wood post and block requirements of this Section.
1.Drill two 3½ inch holes center of post, 29 and 45 inches from top of
post.
2.7W-BEAM GUARDRAIL LONG SPAN
A.W-Beam – Refer to requirements of this Section.
W-Beam Guardrail
B.CRT breakaway post – Refer to wood post and block requirements of this
Section.
1.Drill two 3½ inch holes center of post.
a.32 and 47¾ inches from top of post.
2.8W-BEAM MEDIAN BARRIER
A.Refer to requirements of this section for W-Beam guardrail, posts, blocks,
rub rail channel, and hardware.
2.9BARRIER DELINEATION
A.Sheeting – Refer to Section 02890.
B.Hardware – Refer to GW Series Standard Drawings.
PART 3 EXECUTION
3.1PREPARATION
A.Site
1.Do not install guardrail until final grading has been verified by the
Engineer.
2.Protect work area when removing guardrail barriers, guardrail end
treatment, or crash cushions until the barriers, guardrail end treatment, or crash cushion are reconstructed or the hazard is mitigated.
3.2POSTS AND BLOCKS
A.Drill required holes in posts and blocks according to BA Series Standard
Drawings before installation.
1.Field drilling post is acceptable when installing the bottom rail.
a.Coat field drilled steel post with a field-applied cold zinc
material.
B.Drive post if satisfactory results are obtained without damaging the post.
1.Do not drive posts through asphalt.
2.Refer to BA 4D Series Standard Drawings.
C.Excavate postholes when not driven.
1.Use existing excavated post hole material as backfill.
2.Compact backfill material into bottom of hole if hole is over -
excavated.
W-Beam Guardrail
3.Compact existing backfill material around post to the satisfaction of
the Engineer.
3.3RAIL ELEMENTS
A.Drill or punch required holes according to BA Series Standard Drawings
before installation.
1.Do not field drill holes in rail element.
3.4DELINEATION
A.Install delineation according to BA and GW Standard Drawings.
3.5RAISING EXISTING W-BEAM GUARDRAIL
A.Raise W-beam guardrail to maintain the minimum rail height according to
BA Series Standard Drawings.
1.Only W-beam guardrail with two or three-hole post system is
eligible to be raised.
a.Raise the two or three-hole post systems rail element only if
the rail element is not currently set in the highest hole.
2.W-beam guardrail with single-hole post system cannot be raised.
Do not lift posts in order to raise rail.
B.Remove existing rail element and blocks.
C.Reinstall rail elements and blocks on existing two or three-hole post
system using the next hole up on the two or three-hole system to meet the height requirements according to BA Series Standard Drawings.
1.Do not drill new holes in posts.
END OF SECTION
W-Beam Guardrail
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Source: Utah Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2026 Edition. Pages 721–726 of 1,331.
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