All you need to know about the different types of crash barriers

Ensuring safety for traffic movement on highways and road systems is a challenging task. With accidents increasing at an alarming rate each day, road safety becomes inevitable. Empowering roads with proper safety barriers help minimise the extent of risk and damage to vehicles and passengers by absorbing the impact energy during accidents. This is where the need for a crash barrier arises.

Benefits of Crash Barriers

Crash barriers on roads play a crucial role in ensuring safety for motorists and pedestrians by preventing vehicles from veering off roads and highways. More than just fences, these barriers are highly engineered safety solutions designed to reduce impact, minimise damage, and enhance road security. Their key advantages make them essential for accident prevention.

Major advantages of road safety barriers:

• Enhancing safety on the roads: Designed to protect motorists from hazards like steep slopes, sharp bends, and roadside obstacles, highway crash barriers play a crucial role in preventing rollover crashes. They also act as a protective shield, keeping vehicles within their designated lanes and reducing the risk of head-on collisions.
• Minimising Collision Impact: In the event of an accident, crash barriers absorb the impact and redirect vehicles back onto the road, reducing damage and preventing further mishaps.
• Low Maintenance: In comparison to other forms of road safety barriers, crash barriers need very little maintenance due to their advanced engineering and high-quality materials. Their durability ensures long-term effectiveness, reducing repair costs and enhancing road safety.
• High Visibility: Made from reflective metal with enhanced coatings, these barriers remain highly visible even at night, reducing the likelihood of nighttime accidents.
• Strong & Highly Durable: Engineered to withstand extreme weather conditions and high-impact forces, crash barriers offer long-lasting performance, with a lifespan exceeding 30 years.

Types of Crash Barriers:

Based on shape, size and components used, there are two types of crash barriers for highways. They are the W-beam and Thrie-beam Crash Barriers. These can be categorized into:

• Single sided crash Barrier
• Single sided Double beam crash Barrier
• Thrie-Beam single sided crash Barrier
• Double sided single W Beam Barrier
• Single sided Thrie-Beam crash barrier with End section
• Single sided crash barrier with End section

The Specialties of W-Beam and Thrie-Beam

How to select the Best Crash Barriers?

While selecting the best crash barrier, the following factors should be kept in mind:

• The installation requirement
• The flexibility of the chosen barrier
• The barrier terminal treatment
• The required length
• The transition of one type of barrier to another

In addition to keeping these factors in mind, the barriers should always conform to the International specifications like AASHTO M 180 Guardrail, Euro norm (EN 13171&2), Indian Road Congress Standards (IRC), etc. If the product adheres to these norms, it is assured that they are manufactured with high grade quality of raw materials that provide superior strength and stability.

Why Choose Utkarsh India's Crash Barriers for road safety?

Utkarsh India's roadside safety barriers are meticulously designed to meet all safety protocols for roads and highways. Our crash barriers comply with Indian (MORTH, IRC) and international (AASHTO, EN1317-2) standards, ensuring maximum protection. Engineered with high-strength materials, they effectively absorb impact energy, preventing accidents and reducing vehicle damage. With in-house testing, superior galvanisation, and robust durability, our anti-crash barriers provide unmatched reliability for road safety, making highways and roads safer for motorists and pedestrians.