Parametric Blocks - Beam Guard Blocks

Last updated: 2023-05-17

Beam Guard Layout tool palette

These blocks contain the basic geometry for beam guard rail, paving, shoulder, and earthwork for beam guard energy absorbing terminals (EATs)

These blocks are based on SDD 14b44 Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) Terminal.

Parameters

  • distPavedToTotalShldr: Distance from paved shoulder to total shoulder:
  • radTotalShldr: Curved blocks have a radius of total shoulder

  • Visibility1: Shows and hides block notes. There are construction lines for posts 1, 5, and 9 out to the total shoulder radius for snapping and block rotation. The radius of the block can also be displayed.

These are blocks for beam guard end area terminals. There are six of them that model the following situations:

  1. Left side, tangent section
  2. Left side, left hand curve
  3. Left side, right hand curve
  4. Right side, tangent section
  5. Right side, left hand curve
  6. Right side, right hand curve

Characteristics

  1. All blocks have an insertion point at the face of beam guard at Splice 9.
  2. Left and right side are based on the location of the baseline. For example, if there was a BG EAT on the inside of a divided highway, it would be considered left side in the cardinal direction.
  3. Proper layer assignment and line display is set by object within the block. Left and right side designations to certain layers have been added.
  4. All blocks have been built with Post 1 being the first post that is encountered in the cardinal direction. This means that blocks may need to be mirrored to locate properly. Left and right side blocks should always be located on the correct side of the baseline.
  5. All geometry is stored in polylines except for the grading lines. These lines could not be stored as polylines and made parametric. They are line objects.

  6. The taper of the paved shoulder from normal width to total width is 10:1

Beam Guard Detail tool palette

These blocks contain detailed plan geometry for basic Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) hardware. This includes wood posts, steel posts, blockouts, and rail. Most block insertion points are based on face of rail. The thrie beam transition blocks have an insertion of back of rail (face of parapet).

These blocks are based on:

Parameters

  • radTotalShldr: Curved blocks have a radius of total shoulder

  • Visibility1: Shows and hides block notes. There are construction lines for posts 1, 5, and 9 out to the total shoulder radius for snapping and block rotation. The radius of the block can also be displayed.