What are made and what are road barriers

It is important to understand that there are certain rules, the same GOST for road barriers, which means that they should be installed in the maximum accordance with all norms. Otherwise, the money can be wasted, and the desired effect is not achieved.

But it is even more important to take into account the properties and features of the materials from which the production of road barriers is carried out, since if you save or make what you have, the finished structure simply will not “cope” with its functions.

Photo road fencing

In this article we will get acquainted with the main types of fencing, with recommendations regarding their design, and the features of the materials used. But first, let's see, why do we need such constructions?

Why do we need fences on the road

In fact, there is nothing complicated. Installation of road barriers is needed to improve safety on the roads, and, as a rule, it is performed on roads near construction and industrial facilities, near road sections that are being repaired, as well as simply along roadsides and in the middle of roads.

An example of the fence along the road

In fact, road barriers impede the overturning of vehicles and also prevent them from driving off the road. And this is a very important and necessary function, in the case, for example, if the movement occurs on a bridge over a river or near railway tracks.

In addition, it is useful to install fences in the middle of two lanes with the opposite direction of movement - for example, because at night it will be easier for drivers to orient themselves on the track, which will correspondingly reduce the risk of going to the oncoming lane.

By the way, in such a situation it is important to use reflectors for road barriers — with the help of such reflectors of light, the likelihood of an emergency will be even lower.

Fencing in the middle of the road

And the last moment - fences not only reduce the likelihood of an accident, but also protect pedestrians. After all, well-thought-out and made the separation of the sidewalk and the road will exclude the accidental departure of the car to the pedestrian zone.

Pay attention to the fact that due to different road conditions, the variety of vehicles and the conditions for their departure from the road, a universal fence that fits all objects and situations simply does not exist.

It turns out that such structures on the road are simply necessary, but they can fully function only if they are made correctly and taking into account all the features of the materials used and, of course, the characteristics of the road itself.

And in order to better understand when and which structure to install optimally, let's first understand what they can be made of.

What material is better to make fencing

Production of fences for roads and highways

In fact, there are entire lines for the production of road fences and signs. So if there is little time for work, and the budget allows you to purchase ready-made structures that need only be installed in a specific place, then it is possible that this will be the optimal solution.

And actually if you examine the issue in more detail, it often turns out that the price of finished products and those that are made by hand is not particularly different. But time, in the case of self-production, as a rule, leaves much more.

So take a closer look at the finished structures, count everything - it is quite possible that both options, at very different time and labor costs, will cost you about the same amount.

But in any case, it is important to understand the characteristics of the material from which the construction is made, and therefore it is definitely worth considering such characteristics.

So, let's begin.

Wooden crafts

Wooden fence

What undoubtedly such constructions are good for is the low cost of all necessary materials. In addition, wood fences can be installed relatively quickly and easily - it does not require much experience and expensive tools.

However, there are negative points.

First, the tree will not last as long as, for example, metal or stone, because it is more susceptible to rotting due to temperature fluctuations and the effects of precipitation. This means that to use such products is best for the device of temporary structures.

In particular, wood is quite convenient to make a temporary soldier road fence - it is placed in those places where you need to change or limit the direction of movement for several hours (for example, in case of an accident or road work), and also as a parking fence.

Fencing "Soldier"

Please note that the "soldier" type on sale a lot of plastic. Of course, in most cases they are cheaper than wooden ones, however, their weight is also smaller, which means that they will be less stable during wind and mechanical shocks. Therefore, consider this factor, time of year and features of the object, and only after that make a decision on the purchase.

The second negative point is the low strength of the wood. In particular, to make a fence out of it that will withstand the blows of cars is almost unreal.

Of course, you can use very strong and thick logs, but in this case, most likely, it will be cheaper and more expedient to order a structure made of metal or concrete.

It turns out that wooden structures are good as temporary fences, as well as signal.

Now let's talk about the features of another material.

Metal constructions

Metal fence

It can be said that such constructions are the “golden mean” between cost and quality.

The metal can withstand mechanical loads and blows of cars well and does not deteriorate for a very long time and does not lose its strength characteristics due to temperature fluctuations and bad weather conditions.

In addition, the products do not have to be made and installed independently, because in most cases firms that sell prefabricated elements of metal road fences, lay in their cost and installation work.

As an option, the installation, of course, can be paid separately, but in any case it is not necessary to make installation on your own. Yes, and it is often clearly unprofitable, because for the installation requires expensive tools and even special equipment, and this, you see, is not cheap.

For example, most often for the installation of such metal constructions, a piling installation for road fencing is needed - in fact, this is a machine that clogs the supports at the right points, without first drilling holes. Naturally, this technique is expensive, both in the case of its purchase, and in the case of rent.

Therefore, if a company that sells fencing elements also offers installation services, then it may make sense to take advantage of this offer.

Pile driving machine

As for whose products to buy, then it is worth highlighting the products of Metaco - the company produces high-quality structural elements and helps with their installation.

And it is interesting that the Metako standard metal road fence not only withstands the load, but also has some additional advantages.

For example, in the event of an accident, the car does not fly away from the fence, which reduces the risk of damage to other cars on the strip. In addition, the production, assembly designs are conceived so that the wheels of the car does not jam under it, and this certainly increases the driver's safety.

But, of course, there are other, equally responsible companies, so it’s worth exploring the maximum offers that suit you on a budget - for sure you will find a very good option.

Tip: before you start working with a company that manufactures road barriers, you should ask the managers of the company if the service is provided for the installed structures for an additional fee. If there is no such service, then you will have to repair damaged areas of the fences on your own, and this is often quite expensive and troublesome. Therefore, it is better to choose firms that offer integrated services.

What we do.

Metal road fences, in fact, are good and reliable, only their self-installation and routine maintenance are most often either impossible, or are very costly.

However, if you have a team with the appropriate tool, experience and technology, then this will be a good solution.

And we will consider what features concrete production has - road fences made of concrete and even of bricks are also often used.

Concrete structures

Concrete fence

First of all, it is worth noting that it is better to do the fence of concrete products, or even a monolith. Because such fencing will be much stronger than brick.

After all, the construction of bricks, in fact, consists of many small elements that are quite easily deformed and destroyed under strong mechanical loads.

That is, it turns out that after hitting the car, the brick wall will not only have to be repaired, but repaired! Whereas a monolithic concrete fence may not even deteriorate at all.

In addition, concrete practically does not deteriorate and does not collapse in open areas as compared with brick structures.

It turns out that the concrete fence is very stable, capital, durable and practically does not need expensive repairs. However, the initial investment in such a design is still great. After all, the foundation needs to be done, and to deliver the elements to the site, and unload them and install, of course.

Therefore, if the necessary temporary fence, then this technology is definitely not suitable. After all, you will agree that, for example, fencing of the places for the production of road works is much cheaper, easier and faster to do (and then disassemble) from metal or wood.

An example of a temporary fence

Please note that the concrete parapet can also be used temporarily, if you make it from ready-made mobile elements, without any foundation and fixation. Just moving and transporting such barriers will be very difficult.

Let's sum up.

Each material for the device fencing is good in its own way, but at the same time it has drawbacks. Therefore, the question of what exactly is better to apply is simply impossible to answer.

It is necessary to take into account all the nuances and peculiarities of the situation, the project, understand what the assembly instructions are and make a decision based on the available information.

And now we will try to understand how protective structures are generally classified.

What types of fencing are and how they are mounted

Today, fences are divided into two main types:

• retaining structures;
• limiting.

Retention fences can be side and front.

The first option is divided into the following types:

• Barrier construction. These are fences, the main task of which is to soften the blow from the car due to the deformation of the materials from which the fencing itself is made. That is, it turns out that this technology saves not only the car body, but also the health of the driver. And the minus of the barriers is that they almost always have to be restored from scratch.

An example of a barrier fence

• Curb fencing. The main advantage is that here the impact energy is “extinguished” without much damage to the car body, due to the resistance of the wheels. This option is not suitable for routes on which cars drive at high speed. Indeed, in the event of an accident, the car will simply fly over the curb and be either out of the road or in the opposite lane.

Border

• Parapetы. In fact, these are the same curbs, but only higher and often having a smooth angle of inclination. The main purpose of such fencing is to reduce the impact energy due to the resistance of the wheels of the machine and the reduction of the overturning moment.

Parapet

Frontal barriers are divided into the following types:

• Telescopic structures. Here the point is that the impact energy decreases due to the occurrence of one structural element in another. That is, it turns out that the maximum load does not fall on the car body, but on the fence itself.
• Elastoplastic fencing. As a rule, such fences are made of elastic soft materials, which soften the force of impact.
• Bulk designs. In this case, the blow is extinguished by water or other liquid that is inside the fence.

It is necessary to tell about the fences that are designed directly to protect pedestrians or any objects located off-road.

Such fences are divided into the following types:

• Parapet railings. As a rule, these are concrete structures that are quite difficult to damage or deform, even if the impact of the car is very strong. It turns out that pedestrian protection will be very good, but the body of the car will suffer greatly.
• Barrier railing. This technology also protects the pedestrian part of the road well, but still the safety level of people is smaller here than in the previous version, but this option is better for the driver because the body is not damaged as much. In fact, such a structure can consist of concrete and metal, or only of metal, and the blow here is extinguished due to the damage of absolutely all elements of the structure - handrails and struts. This type of fence is good for roads that do not drive at a very high speed.
• Stand railings. Arranged design in such a way that a strong and durable rack like hold elastic spans. That is, the stand withstands the main blow, and the span softens its strength. A striking example of such a railing is a cable guardrail.

It is also worth noting that the fence can still be divided into one-sided and bilateral structures.

Unilateral fence

In the first case, the fence is designed to keep the car within the road, and in the second, within the lane, directly in the direction of travel.

Bilateral fencing

We have dealt with the classification, now let's briefly review how the main types of fencing are mounted.

Concrete structures can be made in several ways.

1. The structure is installed on the foundation or in the recesses along the road.
2. Finished elements are installed "as is", directly on the surface of the road or the desired area.
3. The design is completely monolithic. That is, the foundation is being dug, the formwork is being put, the whole space is reinforced and filled with concrete.

As for the metal fences, they are made on a very simple principle.

First, metal or concrete pillars are installed, the supports on which the frame is then mounted. The frame may consist of steel strips, sheets, or even itself is a finish fence (for example, it can be a forged grille located between the supports).

Lattice fencing

Sheets are often made railroad fences and noisy highways. And often they use not just sheets, but special material, which allows reducing the noise level from the road and protecting residential houses and buildings from smoke and soot.

This technology is relevant to apply near the suburban residential areas or directly within the urban highways and autobahns.

And in any case, do not forget that only such a complex as traffic signs and fences at the same time can ensure the highest level of road safety.

Let's sum up.

Conclusion

We have considered the features possessed by metal, stone and wooden road fences, as well as understood the classification of such structures. In addition, briefly acquainted with the principle of installation of fences. If you want to learn more, then in the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.