Composite Crash Barriers

Background

Galvanised steel tensioned barriers are used throughout the world as a means of dividing motorways or acting as a barrier to prevent vehicles leaving the highway.

Galvanised steel barriers suffer from a number of limitations, including:

• Corrosion – primarily due to exposure to road salts
• Zinc pollution into waterways/culverts
• Tensioning can cause vehicles to spin into the carriageway

Solution

In 2003, EPL worked on a European project (Ecosafe) to design and develop a pultruded composite guide rail system. The system works by absorbing the vehicles energy gradually using four distinct mechanisms, namely:

• Beam bending
• Crushing of pultruded supports
• Tilting of the barrier
• Crushing of cones

This novel composite barrier system enables high speed vehicles to be de-accelerated in a controlled manner and then guide the vehicle in the direction of the traffic.

Benefits

• Lightweight – easy to install
• Self coloured and luminescent – easy to see at night
• Corrosion resistant
• Energy absorbent
• Easy to replace damaged sections
• Excellent through life costs

If you would like to know more please call: +44 (0) 1509 210027