Simon Steel

My post-graduate study

I’m completing a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) at the University of Southern Queensland

Research title

An Assessment of Elsholz Redirective Concrete Kerb on Road Safety

Why I chose this research topic

Elsholz concrete kerb is a system gaining popularity on the Newcastle/ Hunter region where I am based. I was curious to investigate how well it is performing, and if it is a viable alternative to a traditional safety barrier product. My research will focus on identifying existing installations and collecting crash history data from before and after construction for comparison.

How my research relates to my work

As a Road Designer, the design of safety barriers is an important aspect of my job which I have taken an interest in. This study will relate to my work as it will give me greater insight into this particular design solution and how it is performing in the real world.

Support from TfNSW

RMS has offered me a great deal of assistance and support in both my research project and my degree as a whole. RMS provided me with access to the Crashlink database, in order gather the required data for my research, along with training into how to use this resource. The RMS library has also been of great assistance, helping me to track down several standards and references related to my field of study. The assistance of my colleagues throughout NSW in identifying potential crash sites has also been greatly appreciated.