Material Requirements for High-Tension Cable Barriers: A Guide (2025)
Chapter: 6 Publication Options
CHAPTER 6
Publication Options
Determining the most appropriate format for the final research deliverable was essential to ensure its practical value. The selected document format needed to meet several key criteria: it must carry sufficient authority for transportation agencies to reference in their specifications, standard details, and special provisions; it must establish guidance for current HTCB systems while accommodating future innovations; and it must avoid imposing undue constraints on HTCB system manufacturers. Three potential publication options were identified: (1) an AASHTO Material Standard, (2) an AASHTO Practice Standard, or (3) a Cable Barrier Acceptance Plan published as a standalone NCHRP report or web-only document. Each publication format presents distinct advantages and considerations.
6.1 AASHTO Material Standard
AASHTO Material Standards, identified by an “M” prefix in their designation numbers [e.g., M 30-15(2009) or M 180-23], specify material requirements, properties, coatings, and testing protocols for specific transportation applications. These standards cover various materials used in transportation infrastructure construction.
The analysis in Table 30 shows the advantages and considerations of publishing the proposed HTCB Acceptance Plan as an AASHTO Material Standard.
6.2 AASHTO Practice Standard
AASHTO Practice Standards publications, denoted by R in the designation number [e.g., R 9-05 (2018), or R 38-10(2018)], define standard industry practices for activities performed in the transportation domain. AASHTO Practice Standards exist for a variety of activities performed in the construction of transportation infrastructure. The advantages and considerations of publishing the recommended HTCB Acceptance Plan as an AASHTO Practice standard are identified in Table 31.
6.3 NCHRP Publications
NCHRP reports and web-only documents are published by NCHRP soon after the completion of an NCHRP-funded research project. NCHRP reports are described on the Transportation Research Board (TRB) website as “the main product of the research project and are often written as guidebooks or manuals” (TRB 2023). The advantages and considerations of publishing the recommended HTCB Acceptance Plan as a standalone NCHRP report or web-only document are identified in Table 32.
Table 30. Advantages and disadvantages of publishing the proposed HTCB Acceptance Plan as an AASHTO Material Standard.
| Advantages | Considerations |
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Table 31. Advantages and disadvantages of publishing the proposed HTCB Acceptance Plan as an AASHTO Practice Standard.
| Advantages | Considerations |
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Table 32. Advantages and disadvantages of publishing the proposed HTCB Acceptance Plan as an NCHRP Report or Web-Only Document.
| Advantages | Considerations |
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6.4 Conclusions on Document Type
After weighing the advantages and considerations of the three document types outlined above, the research team proposed that publication as a standalone NCHRP report would be the most appropriate deliverable for the recommended HTCB Acceptance Plan. An NCHRP report is anticipated to move through the publishing process quickly and would also be relatively easy for transportation agencies to reference in their standard specifications, standard details, and special provisions, similar to NCHRP Report 711.
As mentioned previously, NCHRP reports are often written as guidebooks or manuals, which are consistent with the product of this research. Additionally, the information contained in the recommended HTCB Acceptance Plan provides transportation agencies with information covering a broad scope of HTCB topics. The information is intended to help agencies improve the way they solicit HTCB projects. An AASHTO standard, on the other hand, can be narrowly focused on material specifications, or specifications for practice/procedure, and may not likely allow for general information pertaining to design features, selection, or placement. It is anticipated that publication of the recommended HTCB Acceptance Plan as an NCHRP report will facilitate the most efficient implementation within the industry and will limit unintended hardships for transportation agencies, manufacturers, installers, and suppliers.
The objective of the AASHTO Product Evaluation and Audit Solutions program [formally known as the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP)] is to evaluate materials, products, and devices for highway and bridge construction. It provides cost-effective evaluations for the state DOTs by eliminating duplicate testing and auditing efforts by states and manufacturers. Each product category has a technical committee and at least one work plan covering material testing and audit procedures. It was not within the scope, nor authority, of this project to write a work plan for a new AASHTO Product Evaluation and Audit Solutions category (i.e., HTCB); however, the format of certain sections of the recommended HTCB Acceptance Plan bear a resemblance to AASHTO Product Evaluation and Audit Solutions work plans. If a state wanted to advocate for adding HTCB as a new AASHTO Product Evaluation and Audit Solutions category, or if a manufacturer wanted to pursue evaluation through the unique, patented, and proprietary products (UP3) process, relevant information from the HTCB Acceptance Plan could support these applications.
