Static load behavior and energy absorption of safety guardrails for construction works

Abstract

One of the requirements which must be met by the temporary edge protection systems (TEPS) is to stop a worker who walks, stumbles, falls and knocks against the system. The effect of the worker’s crash with the protection system is a dynamic type stress applied as an impact. The capacity of the system to withstand the impact depends on its ductility and its ability to absorb energy. The area enclosed by the load-displacement graph of a TEPS when the load is statically applied is an indicator of its ductility and its ability to absorb energy. In Europe, the EN 13374 standard specifies the requirements to be fulfilled by the TEPS. For systems placed in floor slabs with a slope smaller than 10° (class A systems), the standard indicates that the testing should be performed using static loads. In this work, TEPS manufactured from steel, wood, injected plastic, and composites have been tested with the static loads test system specified in the EN 13374 standard for assessing class A systems. Subsequently, the areas enclosed in the load-displacement diagram have been tested and have been compared with the estimated values of impact energy.