Are you exploring the devices that make up the world of road safety? Barricades, crash pads, and terminals? If you work in a world of roadblocks or you’re just a curious person. You’ve come to the right place: in this article, you’ll find the different types of road safety barriers from a regulatory perspective, discovering the importance of their utility and how they can save lives.
1. What are road safety barriers?
A road safety barrier is a vehicle restraint system used to restrict and guide any vehicle on the road. In other words, if the driver loses control of the vehicle and crashes into a barrier to get off the road. The barrier will save his life, stop the vehicle, or bring it back to the road.
Safety barriers are used to stop “out of control” vehicles: from leaving the road and hitting roadside hazards, including slopes (roadside barriers) that cross the path of oncoming vehicles (see median barriers).
The world of crash barriers is diverse. It is estimated that there are hundreds of barrier manufacturers worldwide.
2. Road safety barriers: types and comparisons
Let’s take a look at the different types of road safety barriers and their uses, characteristics, and comparisons.
1) Water-filled obstacles
The water-filled roadside guardrail is made of durable UV-stabilized polyethylene, durable, lightweight, and portable. Its lightweight nature optimizes setup times and transportation without compromising safety. The water-filled barrier can be deployed quickly, with about 120 meters deployed in an hour. The most important thing to hold an event is organization and timing. The last thing you need is a slow setup process! The second part of the organization is the budget. With meager returns, events are often run on very little money. So why not cut costs and improve safety at the same time?
Water-filled barriers are flexible barriers. Water-filled barriers absorb impact rather than deflect it, making them suitable for areas with high pedestrian traffic. In addition to maximizing efficiency, water-filled barriers have also captured the market in terms of environmental quality. The water-filled barrier is 100% recyclable, prioritizing the safety of the public and the environment.
Damage to workplace and roadside equipment is an ongoing problem. The water barrier prevents vandalism with its heavy-duty quality and tamper-proof plug, making it difficult for vandals to empty the container.
The waterflood barrier is bright orange to ensure maximum visibility. If motorists are able to identify obstacles from a distance, they have time to assess the situation and act rationally. A pre-emptive approach to roadworks can allow motorists to merge and stop earlier. This can ensure smooth traffic and avoid traffic accidents. Read on to learn about applications where water-filled barriers can be used to improve site and event safety.
2) Steel guardrail
Steel guardrail is an important part of road works, large-scale projects, and civil construction, steel guardrails can provide the ultimate safety safety o protection for motorists and workers. After rigorous testing, the temporary steel guardrail has reached the highest level of protection. Suitable for 100 km/h, the steel guardrail has energy-absorbing properties that absorb damage rather than deflect it.
The steel guardrail is designed with quick connectors to make installation seamless and time-saving. It combines the heavy-duty characteristics of steel guardrails with its quick and easy installation and transportation for use on highways and central urban roads.
3) Highway guardrail
Highway guardrail is indeed the next generation of road safety barriers. The highway guardrail is rated MASH TL-4, which means it can safely withstand the force of a 10-ton truck. The barrier has been physically tested using 10-ton trucks and other small vehicles and has been approved and recommended.
Highway guardrails are adapted to the curvature of even the most challenging roads and highways. A series of inclined T-connectors enable 2.5, 5, and 10 degrees of mobility, achieving a radius of 3.6 meters. Whether you need to install guardrail around the roundabout or on relatively narrow corners, highway guardrail will work in your favor.
To save time, money, and effort, optional wheel sets can be installed. By lifting the T-shaped connector at each end of the 6-meter fence and rolling the wheel down, two people can push the fence back into place by hand. Having accessibility will save the expense of hiring heavy machinery such as cranes and rigging to lift and reposition obstacles after installation to pass to the other side.
120 meters of highway guardrail can be installed on a semi truck; That means fewer times to get the job done and less money to spend on payroll! There are many obstacles when it comes to physically installing barriers; Dominate, and find the ideal anchor point. It could be hard rocks or potholes that prevent you from drilling into the ground, and each time the obstruction is relocated it is a major setback. To address this ongoing problem, the highway barrier has three anchors instead of one!
#1. Perfect balance
Highway guardrail is a perfect balance between semi-rigid guardrail and rigid guardrail. But why would you need a semi-rigid guardrail rather than a rigid guardrail capable of fully deflecting a vehicle traveling at 100 km/h? If there is no bend in the guardrail, a 10-ton truck will knock over and tip over, posing a great danger to roadside workers. If the barrier is semi-rigid, the truck is received and collected, thereby absorbing shock and energy.
The deflection of the highway guardrail is 68 cm, creating a safe environment on both sides of the guardrail. With careful design, dumb-proof screens can prevent noise pollution from disrupting the surrounding suburbs.
4) Compare
In contrast, water guardrails, steel guardrails, and highway guardrails have unique characteristics and advantages.
The water-filled guardrail is ideal for low-speed areas, activities, and jobs with smaller budgets.
Depending on the model (NCHRP350 TL-3 or MASH TL-4), the steel guardrail is suitable for quick and easy setup in medium and high-speed areas. The steel guardrail provides the ultimate protection, with a stunning 13cm deflection (using the MDS system) providing security on both sides of the guardrail.
3. How to choose road safety barriers
When choosing a preferred road safety barrier, we must keep in mind a number of aspects, such as:
Driveway space.
1) Type of road on which the device is installed
The first relates to the average volume of traffic on a particular section of road. In this case, it is necessary to evaluate a type of barrier with sufficient containment levels in urban areas and on highways.
2) Speed limits on roads
If we believe that not all drivers adhere to the required speed limits. Then it is necessary to build road barriers with efficient and durable performance.
3) Driveway space
When you have to choose the “best” barrier, be careful to consider both working width and dynamic deflection.
When you have to choose a bridge railing or a central divider (and then you have to evaluate the space on the road). You have to consider the working width of the divider. The working width is related to the safety level of the barrier.
What you don’t know is that not all roadblocks with high containment levels (think H1, H2, and H3 levels) have such a low operating width.
The working width of the W1 not only guarantees the safe operation of the road guardrail but also saves the number of meters on the road and wins the necessary space for other road projects on the way of the guardrail installation, especially when the guardrail is applied in the intermediate belt.
4) The weight of the equipment
In addition, you also need to consider the weight of the equipment when choosing. Some barrier weighs up to ten times more than the steel barrier.
5) Installation mode
Finally, the installation mode. When evaluating the installation, the ground form must be carefully evaluated to decide whether to install guardrail or bridge railings.
Now you may be wondering “What is a bridge rail?”. To better understand the difference, the guardrail is fixed to the ground using drive posts, while the bridge rail is fixed to the ground using resin and anchor pins on a concrete base. Not all roadblock manufacturers can design them.
4. The key role of road safety barriers in traffic management
Planning and design: The setting of the guardrail should be fully considered in road planning and design. And reasonable guardrail layout and type selection should be determined according to road type, traffic flow, and risk level.
Installation and maintenance: The installation and maintenance of the guardrail are crucial, including the correct installation location, and fastening method. And regular inspection maintenance to ensure that it is functional and can perform to the best effect.
Education and publicity: Through education and publicity activities, to raise the awareness and importance of road safety barriers for drivers and pedestrians. And enhance the awareness of safety and compliance with traffic rules among traffic participants.
5. Conclusion
Pavement safety guardrail is an important part of road traffic safety, which can effectively reduce the incidence of traffic accidents and reduce the damage caused by accidents. Through scientific planning, rational design, and correct installation. And effective maintenance of road safety guardrails, we can provide a safer and smoother road environment for driving.
Please note that in practical applications, the design and use of road safety guardrails may be limited by local regulations and standards. So you should consult the relevant professional bodies or local traffic authorities for advice and guidance before implementation. Maintaining moderate driving behavior and obeying traffic rules are also important factors to ensure driving safety.
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