OT Big truck - concrete wall
So I just got this in my email. The following is from the original mailer.
"This was sent by someone who works for the Army Corp. of Engineers.
How many times have you wondered how strong those cement barriers are that you see in front of military base entrances?
From time to time someone asks me what the concrete barriers are in front of controlled and secure buildings. When I tell them that the barriers will stop traffic, even trucks, from approaching the secure building I usually get a look of disbelief.
I've been looking for some film footage like this to prove my point. In this test, the following parameters were used:
Truck = 65,000 lbs.
Speed = 50 mph
Kinetic Energy = 5.5 MILLION ft. lbs.
Stopped in 4 inches! I'm not sure why I find this interesting, but it is ... it must be a guy thing!"
January 28th, 2010 at 4:11 PM ^
Michigan's offense at the moment Molk broke his foot?
But yeah, as a former engineering student (bailed to LS&A), that's what is technically classified as a "shit ton of kinetic energy."
January 28th, 2010 at 4:08 PM ^
What happened to the racism thread? That was a winner. Btw, this is cool as hell. I have always wondered if those barriers would actually prevent a vehicle from hitting a building.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:13 PM ^
That wall feels a sense of entitlement to stop trucks whenever it wants to. It just feels like the truck owes him something...
January 28th, 2010 at 4:10 PM ^
Jake Long.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:16 PM ^
BOOM roasted
January 28th, 2010 at 4:18 PM ^
I don't know if it is a guy thing but I have watched this multiple time already. It's just cool.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
It must be. I can't stop watching it.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:26 PM ^
Dude...its so cool. Watched it like 5 times already.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:41 PM ^
As an engineer, I feel as though I'd question if those barriers were sunk into the ground or if they're the portable ones.
Whats the coefficient of friction? I MUST KNOW.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:13 PM ^
and seeing the way they bend, they're definitely sunk into the ground. There's no coefficient of friction high enough between concrete and soil for concrete that thick to just stand its ground from that force.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:28 PM ^
As a registered civil engineer (yay I haz a stamp!) I think it's fairly clear... look at how the wall responds to the force of the truck - it starts standing straight (perpendicular to the ground) and rotates slightly, so that it stands at an angle.
If it wasn't anchored in the ground, the wall would have to stop the truck without the rotation - it would react more like a chain tensing. A bit like this...
These cable barriers are my favorite. Simple, inexpensive, and effective.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:43 PM ^
I am not an engineer but it looks to me upon impact that they are sunk into the ground.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:49 PM ^
THAT is very cool and appreciate you sharing.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:54 PM ^
"holy fuck!" out loud. The dude in the office next to me had to trot over to see. I did not expect it to be that full of awesome.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:04 PM ^
See, they have something like this at the little reservists' station on South Industrial, but instead of a solid berm it's those little highway-dividing pieces that are only about 12-14 feet long, and which are definitely not sunk into the ground.
I can't imagine those would have the same efficacy as the barrier in this video.
Though Ann Arbor probably isn't a really big priority on the USDOD suppliers' list.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:09 PM ^
the driver was wearing his seatbelt. That's gonna leave a mark.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:16 PM ^
Its totally a guy thing. My boys and I keep watching it as my wife just shakes her head.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:41 PM ^
We need MGoJen to weigh in.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:25 PM ^
BUT I WAS HERE F11RSTTTT!!!!
/immaturity
and I like watching stuff go HULK SMASH as much as anyone, probably an engineer thing though.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:32 PM ^
But you played it more nonchalant, I didn't even know you were female for at least a few months after I started recognizing you.
And MGoJen is all like; mmmm men, num,num,num.
J/K Jen.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:51 PM ^
I didn't know you were female. Forgiveness please.
January 28th, 2010 at 7:21 PM ^
nah it's cool, I was kidding. I couldn't find any better 'splosions so here's some motocross crashes:
January 28th, 2010 at 7:38 PM ^
What could be better than "When Buildings Collapse?"
January 28th, 2010 at 6:07 PM ^
Why do I keep watching this over and over again?
Oh, that's right, Michael Bay has brainwashed me.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:18 PM ^
This is why you shouldn't text and drive, kids.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:24 PM ^
I'm pretty tempted to say that awesomeness of such a degree is not, in fact, OT.
January 28th, 2010 at 8:03 PM ^
That looks like what happened to Charlie Weis's knee. His knee is the truck, so it's not a great metaphor, but whatever.
January 28th, 2010 at 9:31 PM ^
Whenever someone mentions Charlie Weis, the song from the Thanksgiving flash game starts looping in my head and I have to resist the urge to sing it out loud.
January 28th, 2010 at 10:26 PM ^
Wall = Illinois defensive line
January 29th, 2010 at 12:56 AM ^
I negged for the sadness your post made me feel.
January 29th, 2010 at 8:39 AM ^
I understand. The site of Carlos missing the hole for an easy TD and of Schilling getting blown backwards will haunt me for years to come.
January 29th, 2010 at 12:06 AM ^
Things going boom are so not just a guy thing, or maybe some women don't know how to have fun. I don't know which it is; all I know is that I have been transfixed by early-morning television programs which consist of spectacular car chases/crashes. And Quentin Tarantino films.