# Crashbarrier thread



## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

This crashbarrier is probably a few decades old.


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## WalkTheWorld (Aug 1, 2007)

Chriszwolle said:


> This crashbarrier is probably a few decades old.


doesn't matter as far as it serves the job. Good project.


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## Aerin (May 19, 2008)

pmaciej7 said:


> Despite crasbarriers are important part of road infrastructure, we don't have thread dedicated to them yet (or i couldn't find it).
> As you all know, shiny crashbarrier is a detrminant of high-tech road. So let's have a review of crashbarriers in different countries.
> 
> Poland:
> ...


Is it wise to use barriers that have the ends sloping downwards such as the one shown above? It looks like it can launch errant vehicles into outer space. Why not simply maintain the height of the barrier throughout its length and place crash cushions at the end(s)?


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## pmaciej7 (Oct 2, 2007)

Picture is made from temporary road crossing motorway under construction. They had to end this barrier like this in this moment. After opening, there will be continous barrier.

I hadn't better picture and this one was posted only to show double barrier on polish road.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)




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## Aerin (May 19, 2008)

pmaciej7 said:


> Picture is made from temporary road crossing motorway under construction. They had to end this barrier like this in this moment.


Why?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Such ends like the Polish picture are actually pretty standard. We use them all the time in the Netherlands near objects that are close to the roadway, like viaduct pillars or signage gantry's. 

It's better to slide on that thing than crash directly against it. However, it's better just to stay on the road


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

^^ They actually make special ends for crashbarriers that absorb the energy.


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## pmaciej7 (Oct 2, 2007)

Aerin said:


> Why?


To cross a motorway before viaduct is finished.

Look at the barriers.









Now turn around.









View from other side.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

Chriszwolle said:


> It's better to slide on that thing than crash directly against it. However, it's better just to stay on the road


i absolutely agree. todays near my house there was an accident, a car crashed into "cut" end of crashbarrier (so not the "slide" one), it entered into car through windshield and reached rear seats:uh: it was an ugly scene. and speed was not high, under 50 km/h because it was the beginning of the road


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## 54°26′S 3°24′E (Oct 26, 2007)

Chriszwolle said:


> Such ends like the Polish picture are actually pretty standard. We use them all the time in the Netherlands near objects that are close to the roadway, like viaduct pillars or signage gantry's.
> 
> It's better to slide on that thing than crash directly against it. However, it's better just to stay on the road





Rebasepoiss said:


> ^^ They actually make special ends for crashbarriers that absorb the energy.





x-type said:


> i absolutely agree. todays near my house there was an accident, a car crashed into "cut" end of crashbarrier (so not the "slide" one), it entered into car through windshield and reached rear seats:uh: it was an ugly scene. and speed was not high, under 50 km/h because it was the beginning of the road


In Norway (and I believe Sweden) "cut end" crashbarriers have been obsolete for several decades (40 years?) for obvious reasons. Also the Polish (and it seems Dutch) ramps (which in Norway typically would lead the car down an abyss...) have been phased out during the last decade. The standard and safest way to end a crash barrier is either to bend them away from the road (cheapest, but require a few meters at the side of the road, and of course only works for steel barriers, not Jersey) or to indeed make an absorbing "cushion":








(This, picture was the only one I could find, but there are many models used in Norway. They are quite expensive, I guess, but of course whenever they have to be replaced the road authorities feel very good since they know that the cushion probably saved at least one life.





Chriszwolle said:


>


This looks like a serious waste of steel, surely there are cheaper (and equally effective) ways of making a barrier....


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## Aerin (May 19, 2008)

Chriszwolle said:


> Such ends like the Polish picture are actually pretty standard. We use them all the time in the Netherlands near objects that are close to the roadway, like viaduct pillars or signage gantry's.
> 
> It's better to slide on that thing than crash directly against it. However, it's better just to stay on the road


Yes I've seen them in other countries also, but can't remember which, though. I do understand why the ends are angled but then there is still a downside to the design.

As I and others have noted, crash cushions can be placed to prevent a vehicle from directly crashing against the barriers. In addition, there are some crash cushions that will also redirect errant vehicles when impacted from the side.


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## MSP (Sep 13, 2002)

Minnesota tested the cable gaurdrails about 5 yrs ago. Since then we have been installing them everywhere. They can stop an 18 wheeler from crossing over into oncoming traffic very well. Normally with minimal damage to the vehicle due to the fact that the cables flex and absorb the impact instead the vehicle taking the impact(as with steel and concrete barriers). You have to be carefull where you place traffic barriers because they are a roadside hazard themselves many people die each year from hitting them.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

54°26′S 3°24′E;21634594 said:


> This looks like a serious waste of steel, surely there are cheaper (and equally effective) ways of making a barrier....


There are two because of the viaduct pillars in the median.


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## 54°26′S 3°24′E (Oct 26, 2007)

Chriszwolle said:


> There are two because of the viaduct pillars in the median.


That certainly makes it more understandable!


MSP said:


> Minnesota tested the cable gaurdrails about 5 yrs ago. Since then we have been installing them everywhere. They can stop an 18 wheeler from crossing over into oncoming traffic very well. Normally with minimal damage to the vehicle due to the fact that the cables flex and absorb the impact instead the vehicle taking the impact(as with steel and concrete barriers). You have to be carefull where you place traffic barriers because they are a roadside hazard themselves many people die each year from hitting them.


Cable guardrails are very popular in Sweden and Denmark as well. Another advantage with them is that they does not take much road area. In Sweden they have transformed many old single carriage 13 m wide roads (2 lanes + wide hard shoulders) into much safer dual carriage ways just by placing such a fence in the middle. In Norway they also installed quite a lot of these fences a couple of years ago, mostly in the medians of motorways, but they quickly angered the MC community which called them "egg slicers", so they are no longer being installed.


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## Xpressway (Dec 2, 2006)

Cable barrier in Kennedy Avenue (expressway), Santiago, Chile.

Cable barriers are rare in Chile.




























Credits: http://www.canqueto.cl


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## 54°26′S 3°24′E (Oct 26, 2007)

*This could happen without a well designed crash barrier....*

The big jump....








I am not sure if the road this guy was driving even had a barrier...








These accidents happened with a day or two between in Norway...


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## keber (Nov 8, 2006)

Chriszwolle said:


> near objects that are close to the roadway, like viaduct pillars or signage gantry's.
> 
> It's better to slide on that thing than crash directly against it. However, it's better just to stay on the road


Once happened in Slovenia, that a car crashed in such sort of crash barrier. Car was catapulted into nearby signage portal, which had pillar in the middle, crashed into it and then fell onto other side. I think 4 dead in that car and in car from opposite side, which crashed into catapulted one.

If it would just crashed into normal crashbarrier (on that place crashbarrier was closed into continuous one), probably no one would die.

Catapulting ends are very unsafe.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I never heard such things in the Netherlands. The slides are also not very steep, but last for like 10 meters or more. Maybe that guy in Slovenia drove way too fast.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

keber said:


> If it would just crashed into normal crashbarrier (on that place crashbarrier was closed into continuous one), probably no one would die.
> 
> Catapulting ends are very unsafe.


khm, i'm not sure. imagine what happens when there are 4 people in a car and the crash into "cut" crashbarrier which enter into car through front windshield


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## radi6404 (May 13, 2007)

ofcurse not, it jst keeps staying like that since it is good quality.


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## Timon91 (Feb 9, 2008)

How old is that crashbarrier actually?


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## radi6404 (May 13, 2007)

2 years.










this one, too, it doesn´t look shiny but it still looks clean, if someone would go and clean it with a good cleaning spray I am sure it would be shiny again, I guess these crashbarriers will stay like that for the next 10 years.


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## radi6404 (May 13, 2007)

Timon91 said:


> How old is that crashbarrier actually?


So does it look good for that age or not?


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## Timon91 (Feb 9, 2008)

Yes radi, it will shine forever :lol:


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

*Shiny Crash-Barrier Thread*

You probably cruise along motorways and roads to work or a long journey but never have a second thought about crash barriers. They are vital on saving lives and seperating carriageways. 

I would like to see the type of crash barriers your country uses. 



(I'm excited! Radi will love me for this thread!)


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## makaveli6 (Aug 25, 2009)

Eastern Magistral, Riga, Latvia.








I hope RipleyLV wint mind, me posting his picture. 

Daugavpils transportation junction, Daugavpils, Latvia.







http://www.panoramio.com/photo/60950568


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## BNX (Dec 23, 2009)

E-661 (under construction) in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina


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## seem (Jun 15, 2008)

We can't afford shiny crash-barriers


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Shiny! (40 years ago)

IMG 042 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr


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## Ingenioren (Jan 18, 2008)

Norway:lol:


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## Arbenit (Mar 22, 2010)

*U/C Levan - Vlorë ; Albania*


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## Penn's Woods (Apr 8, 2010)

Yes, but are shiny crash barriers better for road safety than dull ones?


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## Bobek_Azbest (May 12, 2008)

How dare you question the superiority of shiny crash barriers?! :lol:


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## Penn's Woods (Apr 8, 2010)

I suppose they're more visible than dull ones. Unless they reflect sunlight into your eyes and blind you....


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## Arbenit (Mar 22, 2010)

^^ Good point.


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## Penn's Woods (Apr 8, 2010)

^^Well, I tried to contribute to this vital and important issue at a level appropriate to its, um, vitality and importance.


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## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

Radi would be very proud of the first few posts.

Where is the Struma motorway?


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## Chilio (May 1, 2009)

DanielFigFoz said:


> Where is the Struma motorway?


Umm... at the same place it has ever been - in southwestern Bulgaria :lol::lol::lol:


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## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

:lol: Thats not what I mean


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## mediar (Dec 13, 2008)

Bulgaria



















Beat this.


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## Cicerón (May 15, 2006)

Spain


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## seem (Jun 15, 2008)

mediar said:


> Bulgaria


And look at this perfectly black asphalt!


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

I think the reason Radi has not made any comments on this thread is because he is now at the point of ORGASM!

Here are some from Republic of Kosovo.



















Hmmm Shiny!



























OooooOoooh yes!





























BTW these shiny crash barriers are made shiny in Kosovo by a local company which now produces very shiny crash barriers to supply Kosovo and neighbouring countries.


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

^^ 130 :nuts:


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

In Brazil 

We dont follow the european standard of barrier :bash:

Some places with crash-barrier










but most of the roads looks like this :bash: without barriers


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## El Tiburon (Mar 21, 2010)

In Florida the guardrails are like the ones in the Brazilian pictures above and are mostly dull. Some look shiny when recently installed but get dull pretty fast with the sun and the rain.


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## niskogradnja (Feb 8, 2010)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
It' s not shiny, but still is it nice.


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## da_scotty (Nov 4, 2008)

Will I be shot after this photo?


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## italystf (Aug 2, 2011)

Why the title of this thread is shiny crashbarriers and not just crashbarriers? And inside of it discussing about different types of crashbarriers (shiny, rusty, concrete,...).


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## niskogradnja (Feb 8, 2010)

shpirtkosova said:


> type of crash barriers


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

Lets be honest, who would bother wasting 10 minutes of their lives on a thread titled ' Crashbarrier Thread'? When the word 'Shiny' is added, well... We have a different story now!!


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## KHS (Mar 13, 2007)

niskogradnja said:


>


Cable barriers are great for cars but are also a certain death for bike drivers.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

We have a mix of concrete and metal crash barriers. Mostly the median barriers are made of concrete.

concrete barriers in the median, no barriers on the side:










Metal barriers in the median:


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## Tom 958 (Apr 24, 2007)

Where was that pic? Oh, here it is!


Tom 958 said:


> For Radi: crash barriers so shiny-- I can see myself!


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## Blaskovitz (May 30, 2009)

Eee shiny... hno: In Poland we have polished!  







































Sorry, but I don't have better photos, maybe someone else?




Edit:
_________________


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## GROBIN (Feb 27, 2011)

niskogradnja said:


>


I've seen this type of crashbarriers in Southeastern Poland, in the secondary roads of the wonderful Bieszczady region. I heard they existed in the U.K., but I didn't see them (or maybe I didn't pay enough attention) each time I went there.



KHS said:


> Cable barriers are great for cars but are also a certain death for bike drivers.


I don't see why it should be a certain death for bike drivers. I'm not sure why metal barriers should be safer for this category of drivers.



italystf said:


> Why the title of this thread is shiny crashbarriers and not just crashbarriers? And inside of it discussing about different types of crashbarriers (shiny, rusty, concrete,...).


Looks like not everybody knows about Radi's biggest passion


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## italystf (Aug 2, 2011)

GROBIN said:


> Looks like not everybody knows about Radi's biggest passion


???:nuts:


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

Basically, there is a guy on th highways and autobahns forum who is totally obsessed with shiny crash barriers, this thread is dedicated to him.


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## Mark19 (Mar 8, 2010)

El Salvador, highway to the airport


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## Penn's Woods (Apr 8, 2010)

"Regime afgestemd op Wallonië" ?! :-O

Does Wimpie know? ;-)

And can we assume Wallonia does this too?

There are way fewer permanently-lighted stretches than I expected.


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## Glodenox (Mar 26, 2007)

I could be wrong, but I think Wallonia already started doing this a couple of years ago.


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## GROBIN (Feb 27, 2011)

ChrisZwolle said:


> However there is a problem as Belgian road markings and reflective signs are very inferior.[/QUOTE]
> 
> It's true ! This summer, when I was coming back to the Île-de-France region, I went through Dutch A67/E34. Big surprise entering the Belgian section of the E34. No lights and almost no reflective marking. :gaah:
> 
> Really horrible to drive by night ! Looks like Belgium didn't prepare to switch off its lighting; that this crisis led to sudden cuts ...:ohno:


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## Republica (Jun 30, 2005)

i think the uk is going to all concrete now. i think this is because they are less likely to mean a central reservation crossing, which are always catastrophic. also, as cars get stronger, they care less about not damaging the car as they are safer. car deaths are dropping dramatically in the uk from a low base, and around the world i guess.


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## Chilio (May 1, 2009)

So Belgians are getting trained for driving on Bulgarian roads at night


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## muc (Sep 29, 2005)

Designed to rust: Barriers made of COR-TEN steel on Autostrada del Brennero (A22) in Italy:









by Tormic http://www.panoramio.com/user/1048818?with_photo_id=31175964

This is probably as "unshiny" as it gets.


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

@_radi_: what do you think of this one?










More pictures here.


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

Wow thats very shiny! Even the paint is shiny!


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## GROBIN (Feb 27, 2011)

Ouch my eyes !


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## WalkTheWorld (Aug 1, 2007)

muc said:


> Designed to rust: Barriers made of COR-TEN steel on Autostrada del Brennero (A22) in Italy:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ooops, I just logged in to post A22 pics. You were faster, mate. :cheers:

I haven't seen other Corten steel barriers around. I still wonder whether it's just the cost or people plain thinks it's ugly... It's so distinctive we eventually got to love it.


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## WalkTheWorld (Aug 1, 2007)

Republica said:


> i think the uk is going to all concrete now. i think this is because they are less likely to mean a central reservation crossing, which are always catastrophic. also, as cars get stronger, they care less about not damaging the car as they are safer. car deaths are dropping dramatically in the uk from a low base, and around the world i guess.


I noticed that, as everybody moves away from New Jersey barriers, the UK is installing them everywhere. Strange. I think this is basically because the road safety regulation clearrly defines the design and shape of steel barriers to a standard which is a bit outdated and weak for our age -pity. Surely steel would help the local economy better and would also look better. PS, kinda hate your "egg-slicers"


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

Its not shiny!!! hno:


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## Ingenioren (Jan 18, 2008)

WalkTheWorld said:


> I haven't seen other Corten steel barriers around. I still wonder whether it's just the cost or people plain thinks it's ugly... It's so distinctive we eventually got to love it.


We have them in Norway: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=443589&page=69


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## WalkTheWorld (Aug 1, 2007)

Ingenioren said:


> We have them in Norway: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=443589&page=69




Haill the corten people. Very peculiar design indeed.


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## Fargo Wolf (Oct 23, 2009)

http://v4.cache6.c.bigcache.googlea...otos/original/20605507.jpg?redirect_counter=1

At least they were shiny back in 09. :lol:

Credit: Wester

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/20605507

Most of the crash barriers in British Columbia, is concrete No-Post barrier.


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## ed110220 (Nov 12, 2008)

WalkTheWorld said:


> I noticed that, as everybody moves away from New Jersey barriers, the UK is installing them everywhere. Strange. I think this is basically because the road safety regulation clearrly defines the design and shape of steel barriers to a standard which is a bit outdated and weak for our age -pity. Surely steel would help the local economy better and would also look better. PS, kinda hate your "egg-slicers"


Is a "New Jersey barrier" just an ordinary concrete crash barrier? What countries are moving away from them? As far as I was aware, the opposite was the case.

As I understand it a concrete barrier is safer than a steel one because: a) a vehicle is less likely to breach it, b) a vehicle hitting it at a small angle will scrape it or bounce off rather than become embedded or sliced open, c) if a person is thrown from a vehicle the risk of critical injury or death by being dashed/sliced against the upright supports or sharp edges of a steel barrier is greater.

In addition, in South Africa there is often a problem with pedestrians illegally crossing freeways, especially where informal settlements (shantytowns) are found nearby. A tall concrete crash barrier deters illegal pedestrian crossing much better than a steel one that can easily be climbed over.

There is also the question of cost. I suspect that the relative prices of steel and concrete are different in different parts of the world. In the UK steel seems much more widely used for railings/guard rails on bridges etc, while the South African equivalent is usually concrete. Same with bridges - some countries favour steel, others concrete.

It seems though that I'm wrong about South Africa switching away from steel entirely: a lot of nice shiny new crash barrier has been installed around Johannesburg.


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## shpirtkosova (Jun 7, 2009)

Is it possible that Crash Barriers can sometimes be so shiny that they reflect sunlight into your eyes?


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## WalkTheWorld (Aug 1, 2007)

ed110220 said:


> Is a "New Jersey barrier" just an ordinary concrete crash barrier? What countries are moving away from them? As far as I was aware, the opposite was the case.
> 
> As I understand it a concrete barrier is safer than a steel one because: a) a vehicle is less likely to breach it, b) a vehicle hitting it at a small angle will scrape it or bounce off rather than become embedded or sliced open, c) if a person is thrown from a vehicle the risk of critical injury or death by being dashed/sliced against the upright supports or sharp edges of a steel barrier is greater.
> 
> ...


Sorry for my late reply. I honestly don't know why we do call the "new jersey" here. It has always been like that. Reverse V shaped concrete barriers, that became popular in the 80's. They originally allowed to provide some protection on dual carriageways here you input had a double eviterà stripe between flows of vehicles. They are being replaced by steel mainly because of ageing concrete becoming brittle and unsafe.


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## Fargo Wolf (Oct 23, 2009)

shpirtkosova said:


> Is it possible that Crash Barriers can sometimes be so shiny that they reflect sunlight into your eyes?


Well, it is entirely possible, given their shape.


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## ed110220 (Nov 12, 2008)

WalkTheWorld said:


> Sorry for my late reply. I honestly don't know why we do call the "new jersey" here. It has always been like that. Reverse V shaped concrete barriers, that became popular in the 80's. They originally allowed to provide some protection on dual carriageways here you input had a double eviterà stripe between flows of vehicles. They are being replaced by steel mainly because of ageing concrete becoming brittle and unsafe.


Perhaps it is a climate thing? The UK has a relatively mild climate compared with much of the USA (less risk of frost damage) and the parts of South Africa subject to severe frosts all tend to be dry in the winter so little risk of freeze-thaw damage.

This section of the M25 in the UK used to have a steel barrier but has been reconstructed with a concrete one: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.359241,-0.496402&spn=0.000054,0.038581&t=h&z=15&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=51.35923,-0.496388&panoid=hHn96XUo1KruM5qGl3W23A&cbp=12,358.9,,0,11.71

In South Africa freeways were often built with quite a wide median with steel barrier and were later widened by adding an extra lane to each carriageway in what used to be the median, separated with a concrete barrier like this: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=-26.056166,28.02269&spn=0.000308,0.154324&t=h&z=13&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=-26.056134,27.98991&panoid=jrW2YC3Ng4yeoPgQ3jbbOQ&cbp=12,245.88,,0,1.41

Quite a lot of the concrete work of UK motorways built in the 1960s became defective surprisingly early, from the 1980s onwards. I'm not aware of problems with concrete from South African works of the same period suffering extensive problems.


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