Value of Concrete Barriers Advice, Road construction site controls, Highway work

The Value of Concrete Barriers

29 Apr 2021

On every freeway and highway, and on construction sites and road works, you are likely to see several long lines of concrete barriers. The bulky structure usually sports the natural greyish look of cement. In other installations, you may see some concrete barriers painted in bright colours, which serve as an early warning sign. The design of the concrete barriers may look simple, but the barriers are quite valuable, especially in traffic management and road safety.

The most common concrete barrier you see on the road and construction sites is the Jersey barrier. Despite the simple look of Jersey barriers, their specific design serves a special purpose. Aside from that, Jersey barriers have the durability and strength to prevent and survive collisions.

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The Value of Concrete Barriers Guide

General use of Jersey barriers

The appearance of Jersey barriers may not be a standout but you cannot take them for granted because they have varied roles to play. They are effective in land management, vehicle impact protection, traffic/walkway demarcation, access management, and site security. You can use them as temporary retaining walls to prevent soil erosion. Further, you can use them for flood defence. Farms also have a variety of uses for Jersey barriers. Use them as counterweights for scaffolding and as barriers for vehicle parking and foot traffic during major events.

Useful things to know about Jersey barriers

Jersey barriers pass through rigorous tests. This is to ensure the product can withstand extreme impact. The manufacturers make sure that the barriers will not break down and contribute to the damage rather than minimise a disastrous outcome. Jersey barriers are precast, using reinforced steel and concrete. They are strong because they complete the required curing period, typically 28 days.

The barriers come in varying lengths, to fit the size of the opening you want to protect. You can have 1.5m long Jersey barriers. Or you need longer ones, the 2.0 m, 2.5 m, and 3.0 m. The weight ranges from 1460 kg, 1560 kg, 1300 kg, and 2480 kg, respectively. Modern Jersey barriers have slots to ensure proper lifting using a forklift or crane. They may have flat short sides, and interlocking tongue and groove. The longer version typically interlocks bolt together.
Experts designed the Jersey barrier to decrease the movement of the vehicle involved in a crash. The specific configuration of the barrier minimises vehicle damage from incidental contact. Safety engineers use Jersey barriers as road partitions to guarantee commuters’ protection even if many vehicles are speeding. Additionally, their impact resistance and inherent weight make sure that an accident on one side of the highway will not harm the vehicles on the opposite side of the road.
The creators of Jersey barriers gave a lot of thought to produce a strong and useful multipurpose product. Unlike other items made with concrete, the Jersey barrier can withstand extreme freezing and warm temperatures without structural damage or rupture. This characteristic makes Jersey barriers great for any weather condition and location. Also, the compact nature and strength of the product guarantee long-term use.

The designers specifically created Jersey barriers to control traffic. Through their decades of use for road safety, the barriers proved their usefulness. They are now the standard in highway use in many locations around the world.

Jersey barriers today come in a range of sizes and configurations. Determine what you need for your project before purchasing or hiring them.

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