Description of system. The Ironwood Guide Rail consists of a composite steel/wood rail element with a peeled log appearance, consisting of a 200 mm diameter round timber rail with a six millimeter thick steel channel embedded into the timber rail and bolted to it. This composite rail is attached to 1600 mm long S 75 mm X 8 kg/m steel posts set 965 mm into the soil and spaced 2000 mm on centers. Each post includes a 203 mm by 610 mm soil bearing plate (steel spade plate.) The exposed front portion of each post is clad by a routed, 171 mm diameter timber post. This post cladding provides an all-wood appearance to the barrier from the road side of the installation. For Ironwood Guide Railing designated as "Rustic," metal parts are galvanized and additionally the surfaces exposed to view are powder coated to approximate the appearance of Rustic Box Beam Guide Railing. Ironwood Guide Railing designated with "extra long posts" requires 2135 mm long steel posts instead of 1600 mm standard length steel posts. §10.2.3.5 Post Systems discusses when extra long posts are required. Nominal rail mounting height is 660 mm measured to the top of the rail from the ground surface . Rail mounting heights of 660 mm to 685 mm are permitted. Mounting heights outside this range should not be attempted, nor should Ironwood Guide Rail be used in conjunction with curbing within three meters in front of the rail. There are three methods of terminating Ironwood Guide Rail. All of these are detailed on the included manufacturer’s drawings. These methods include termination in the backslope and two end terminals. Termination in the backslope is the preferred method of termination. If termination in the backslope is not reasonably attainable, termination can be made using one of the two end terminals. The Ironwood End Terminal Type I is a turned down end terminal, and consists of a four meter section of composite wood/steel rail, supplemented by a pair of driven back-to-back S 75 mm X 8 kg/m posts with soil plates (steel spade plates.) The posts are driven nearly to grade, and are connected to the ramped four meter section with an Ironwood Splice Bar & Welded Fuse Block. End Terminal Type II is similar to the Type I end terminal, but in this terminal the supplemental back-to-back driven S 75 mm X 8 kg/m posts are replaced by an angle iron and concrete anchor unit. The concrete part of the anchor is similar to the concrete anchor used with corrugated guide rail systems.

Crash Testing. Ironwood Guide Rail passed the two NCHRP 350 crash tests designated as 3-10 and 3-11. These are the small car and pickup truck "length of need" crash tests, respectively, and are the minimum necessary to qualify a barrier as a Test Level 3 (100 k/h) barrier. Test Level 3 means that Ironwood Barrier may be used on all facilities. Deflection 3 of the guide rail under the truck impact was 1.64 m. In crash testing, Ironwood Guide Rail has redirected 30m from the free end. The rail was terminated for this test by an Ironwood End Terminal Type I, described above, and the 30 m incorporated the approximate 4 m length of that end terminal. Neither of the end terminals has been crash tested as an end terminal. Therefore, neither is rated as crashworthy above 50 km/h. In general, however, turned-down end terminals are accepted to be Test Level I (50 km/h) safety articles. Also, termination in the backslope is considered crashworthy at Test Level 3, provided that the anchorage is demonstrated to be capable of developing the strength of the barrier.