BarrierGuard lightweight roadside safety barrier

The BarrierGuard TL4 (Test Level 4) rated temporary steel barriers feature a design to mitigate risk to roadside workers on road projects and construction zones. It also minimises damage to vehicles and their occupants and is claimed to provide greater protection than traditional concrete or water-filled barriers.

The BarrierGuard absorbs the impact of a crash and, by containing the vehicle, offers the driver an increased chance of recovering control. The safety barrier system is lightweight, quick to deploy, easy to install and approved by all state governments.

Extensive crash testing has been undertaken throughout the development of the BarrierGuard at angles ranging from 15 to 45°, using vehicles weighing from 900 kg to 13 tonnes. The results were impressive; with the device containing a 13 tonne bus travelling at 70 km/h impacting at a 20° angle and a 7.5 tonne truck travelling at 50 km/h hitting the barriers at a 45° angle.

Despite weighing in excess of 700 kg, a concrete barrier impacted by a vehicle can cause the barrier to deflect a considerable distance, placing workers at risk. Conversely, a feature of the BarrierGuard, which weighs only 90 kg/m, is its low deflection. An impact with a 1500 kg car hitting the barrier at a 20° angle at 110 km/h resulted in the barrier deflecting just 1 m. With a 13 tonne bus hitting at a 20° angle at 70 km/h, the barrier deflected just 2 m, while a two-tonne vehicle crashing onto the barriers at a 25° angle while travelling at 100 km/h resulted in a deflection of just 1.5 m.

Additionally, the roadside guard provides greater protection to roadway construction and maintenance workers than concrete barriers as there is no chance of barrier debris becoming a missile due to vehicle impact.

Up to 216 m of the guard is able to be transported on the one trailer and up to 300 m/h can be installed using a trained team of three or four operatives.

As the device has a 110 km/h safety rating, it negates the need for ‘slow zones’ and thanks to its smooth surface, devoid of protruding bolts, wires and gaps, it’s safer for motorcyclists. It is also available with approved crash cushion end terminals.