The purpose of this program was to optimize the fuse link and the fittings for a guy wire used near highways, minimizing the fatalities and injuries that can occur during impacts of vehicles. This program resulted in a fully tested breakaway guy wire link designed by Foster-Miller for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) using a systematic approach based on a combination of finite element analyses (FEA), design for manufacturing, and field tests. The finite element (FE) model used LS-DYNA software to evaluate initial concepts, and then a more sophisticated three-dimensional FE model was generated to simulate realistic collisions between guy wires and vehicles. To validate design and simulation, several field pendulum and crash tests were also performed with the manufactured composite links.

This research work showed the feasibility of low cost designs for coupling breakaway guy wires. Composite materials were used to enable clean breaks and to lower the mass of the link, reducing the chance of secondary impacts and injury due to flying debris.  To enhance the design, further analysis and testing was conducted to:

• Obtain additional insight into lower manufacturing costs and improved safety.
• Evaluate further the design in improving performance and ease of replacement with minimum downtime.
• Consider concepts for the arrival of production ready design.

During the program, prototype designs were fabricated and extensively tested. Based on the successful pendulum and crash tests, a final design of the breakaway guy wire composite link has been approved by the Federal Highway Administration.

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