MASH Testing
Roadside Safety and Highway Safety Device Testing
The Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) represent uniform guidelines for conducting full-scale crash tests for permanent and temporary highway safety features along with evaluation criteria.
Products addressed in MASH include longitudinal barriers, guardrail transitions, end terminals, crash cushions, breakaway/yielding supports, truck mounted attenuators and work zone traffic control devices, and more.
MASH certification testing applies to permanent installations as well as temporary plastic barriers and barricades.
Calspan can help you navigate the MASH manual to understand what your system requires to be certified and approved by FHWA.
ASTM F3016-19
Bollards crash tested to this ASTM standards are often required in locations where pedestrians or property are at risk.
Efficient Testing
Whether it's a single longitudinal barrier, to a large library of work zone signs, Calspan can quickly and cost-effectively help get you the test results for MASH certification.
Turn Key Solution
We Calspan has all the equipment, personnel and resources to take care of all the different steps involved in testing, from installation, test execution and custom test reports.
The crash performance is judged on three main principles:
- Structural Adequacy
- Occupant Risk
- Vehicle Trajectory
Calspan’s independent test lab will help you from start to finish to get your MASH certification. From installation to execution of the test, our team will deliver you with the data you need to get to market.
MASH ratings start with the test level which the test article will be certified to. In MASH, there are 6 test levels which increase in test speed and vehicle size as the test level increases. Test Levels are determined by the in-field application of the traffic safety device being tested (city roads, rural roads, highways, etc). To achieve a rating, the physical crash test of a traffic safety device must have met certain criteria regarding where the car ended up, how it got there and what kind of damage occurred. The basic differences per test level are noted below:
- TL-1: Cars and pick-up trucks –– 31 mph
- TL-2: Cars and pick-up trucks –– 44 mph
- TL-3: Cars and pick-up trucks –– 62 mph
- TL-4: Cars, pick-up trucks, and single unit trucks –– 62 mph and 56 mph respectively
- TL-5: Cars, pick-up trucks, and tractor trailers –– 62 and 50 mph respectively
- TL-6: Cars, pick-up trucks, and tractor tank trailers –– 62 and 50 mph respectively
Pelco TB2N1: Proven Frangibility Through Full-Scale MASH Testing
The Pelco TB2N1 Transformer Base has been validated through full-scale MASH crash testing to demonstrate predictable breakaway performance under vehicle impact conditions. The base incorporates a precision-engineered internal groove that serves as a stress concentration point, promoting controlled separation of the support structure during a collision. The design helps reduce occupant risk while maintaining structural compatibility with modern lighting and traffic infrastructure. The TB2N1 provides engineers and agencies with a tested solution for roadside applications where safety and reliability are critical.
Features Include:
- Full-scale MASH crash test validation
- Engineered frangible groove technology
- Predictable breakaway response
- Reduced occupant impact severity potential
- Suitable for roadway lighting and transportation infrastructure
Find out how we can
support your innovations
