Road Safety Barriers: Types & Comparison
RPM Hire takes road safety seriously, providing three types of road barriers to suit all circumstances. Whether you’re looking for Steel barriers to mark out a worksite, Water Filled Barriers for events, or the HighwayGuard Steel Barriers offering the ultimate protection lining fast, high trafficked areas, you’ll find the correct equipment for the job with RPM Hire.
Let’s take a look at the different types of road safety barriers alongside their uses, features and comparisons.
Water Filled Barriers
The water filled roadside barrier is engineered with durable UV stabilised polythene, achieving harmony in sturdiness but light and portable. Its lightweight nature optimises set-up time and transport without compromising safety. Water Filled barriers can be deployed quickly, approximately 120 meters in one hour. Setting up an event is all about organisation and timing; the last thing you need is a slow setup process! Second to organisation is budgeting. Events often operate with a shallow pocket as the margins of return can be slim, so why not cut costs and increase safety at the same time?
Water Filled Barriers are flexible barriers. Suitable for high pedestrian trafficked areas as the Armorzone Water Filled Barriers absorb impact rather than deflecting it.
On top of maximising efficiency, RPM Hire’s water filled barrier captures the market on environmental qualities. The water filled barrier is 100 % recyclable, prioritising the general public’s safety and that of the environment.
Vandalism to worksites and roadside equipment is a persistent frustration. Armorzone Water Barriers combat vandalism with their heavy-duty qualities and their anti-tampering plug, making it difficult for vandals to empty the vessels.
Water filled barriers come in bright orange, ensuring maximum visibility. If motorists can identify the barriers from a distance, they have time to assess the situation and act rationally. Having a preemptive approach to road works allows motorists to merge early or halt accordingly; this enables traffic flow and steers clear of road accidents. Read on to discover applications where Water Filled Barriers can be used to increase safety onsite and at events.
Steel Barriers
Integral to roadworks, major projects and civil construction, the steel barrier provides ultimate safety to protect both the motorist and workers. Through rigorous testing, RPM Hire’s temporary steel barriers have attained the highest level of protection. Suitable to speed limits of 100 kilometres, the steel barriers posses energy absorbing qualities absorbing damage rather than deflecting it.
The steel barrier is designed with a quick link connector to make the instalment seamless and time-efficient. Combining the steel barrier’s heavy-duty nature with its quick and easy setup and transport, it is suitable for highways and central city roads.
The HighwayGuard Barrier
The HighwayGuard Barrier is truly the next generation of road safety barriers. The HighwayGuard is rated to MASH TL-4, which means that it is equipped to handle the force of a 10-ton truck safely. The barrier has been physically tested with a 10-ton truck and other smaller vehicles with approval and recommendation.
The HighwayGuard Barrier is suited to accommodate the curvature of even the most challenging roads and highways. The range of angled T-Connectors can achieve 2.5, 5 and 10 degrees of mobility, achieving a radius of 3.6 metres. Whether you need a barrier installed around a roundabout or a relatively tight corner, the HighwayGuard Barrier will work to your advantage.
To save on time, money, and energy exerted, optional wheelsets can be installed. By lifting the T-Connectors at each end of the 6-metre barrier, winding the wheels down and, with two people, you can push the barrier back by hand. Having the accessibility will save money on hiring heavy machinery like cranes and riggers to lift and relocate barriers once installed just to get through to the other side.
120 metres of the HighwayGuard Barrier fits onto one semi-truck; this means fewer trips to finish the job and less money spent on wages! When it comes to physically installing a barrier, many obstacles ensue; in predominance, locating the ideal anchorage point. It could be hard rocks or a pothole preventing you from drilling into the ground, and every time a barrier is relocated it’s a significant setback. Taking this ongoing nuisance on board, the HighwayGuard Barrier has three anchorage points instead of one!
The HighwayGuard Barrier is the perfect balance between a semi-rigid barrier and a rigid barrier. But why would you want a semi-rigid barrier and not a rigid barrier that will completely deflect a vehicle travelling at 100 kilometres per hour? If there is no flex within the barrier, a 10-ton truck will hit and topple over, creating extreme hazards for roadside workers. If the barrier is semi-rigid, the truck is received and collected thus the shock and energy are absorbed.
The HighwayGuard Barrier has a deflection of 68 cm, creating a safe environment on both sides of the barrier. Through meticulous design, the anti-gawk screens prevent noise pollution from upsetting the surrounding suburbia.
The Comparison
Comparatively, the water filled barrier, steel barrier, and the HighwayGuard Barrier have their unique features and strengths.
The water filled barrier is excellent for low-speed zones, events and jobs with small budgets.
The steel barrier is suited to a quick and easy setup, mid to high-speed zone, depending on the model (NCHRP350 TL-3 or the MASH TL-4). The steel barrier offers the ultimate protection with an astonishing 13 cm deflection (using the MDS system) providing safety on both sides of the barrier.
The HighwayGuard Barrier is ideal for high-speed zones. The HighwayGuard Barriers have the highest protection rating and cost savings , optional wheelset that separates the barrier seamlessly!
We also stock a range for crash barriers including the Absorb 350, Absorb M, SLED, Smart crash cushion, QuadGuard and the raptor pole protector.
Book a consultation with RPM Hire for information on safety equipment solutions and what barriers suit your task at hand!
