Development of a Flared End Terminal That Meets Criteria of NCHRP Report 350: The REGENT System

A project to develop a flared guardrail end terminal system that would meet NCHRP Report 350 Test Level 3 (100 km/h) requirements was initiated at the request of a group of small guardrail manufacturers that did not have access to such a system. This was a major concern to this group that needed to have access to such a system before the October 1998 Intermodel Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 implementation date for NCHRP Report 350 roadside hardware. A set of design, performance, and cost objectives was established, and a decision was made to qualify the system for both weak and strong soils. The development project resulted in a new type of design and specifications for the wood posts used in the end terminal section. The redirective and gating end terminal (REGENT) system was designed and tested to meet the conditions described in NCHRP Report 350 (Test Level 3) and was approved for use on the National Highway System by FHWA. The REGENT system was tested when it was attached to both wood and steel downstream guardrail posts.