Types Of Road Safety Barriers

The road safety barrier systems are an essential part of the road construction projects, because they ensure safe and more efficient transportation for all road users. Road safety barriers are heavily used all over Australia, and are very easy to recognize. Although there are few types of road safety barriers, they all have some mutual characteristics and the same purpose. In general, the road safety barriers are used to absorb the force of the vehicle impacts once a vehicle losses control on the road.

They can be placed either on the middle of the road to prevent direct car crashes, or at one end of the road to prevent out of control vehicles from hitting a road side objects. It is important for the road users to know how to identify the road safety barriers. There are three main types of road safety barriers:

• Flexible road safety barriers
• Rigid road safety barriers
• Semi-rigid road safety barriers

Flexible Road Safety Barriers

The flexible road safety barrier systems are wire rope barrier systems. In Australia, there are many manufacturers of “wire rope” safety road barriers that work on the same principle, but with few different design details. The flexible safety road barriers minimize the severity of the car crashes, and their design enables the vehicles to be smoothly redirected. Because these road safety systems are generally wires with frangible posts in between, they are capable of deflecting any type of vehicle. However, after an impact, these road safety barrier systems need to be repaired.

Rigid Road Safety Barriers

The rigid road safety barrier systems are a reinforced concrete structures, designed to contain and to redirect vehicles that lose control. Unlike the flexible or semi-rigid safety road barriers, when a vehicle hits a rigid barrier it only experiences a small impact. Therefore, these types of road safety barrier systems are most suitable for roads where the impact angles are low. The rigid safety road barriers provide the highest protection for heavy vehicles, and require low or no maintenance at all, depending on the material from which are made.

Semi-Rigid Road Safety Barriers

The semi-rigid road safety barriers are another commonly used type of road barriers on the Australian roads. They don’t deflect as much as the flexible road safety barriers, and are usually installed very close to hazards. Because they are made of rails or steel beams, the semi-rigid safety road barriers are deformed completely when vehicle hits them, and have lower deflection level than the flexible barrier systems. The most common types of semi-rigid barrier systems are the W-Beam steel barrier Type 4 and, the Thrie-Beam steel barrier system.