Wire rope barriers, or cable barriers, is a type of guard rail used on a roadside as a median safety traffic barrier. It is made out of steel wire ropes mounted on a post. Its primary function is to serve as a guide for vehicles and prevent such vehicles from leaving the travelled way. It also serves for redirecting aberrant vehicles.
Wire rope barriers are comparatively inexpensive compared to other form of traffic guard rails. Due to their economical price, they became commonly used in medians of divided highways. They are also easier to install and to maintain compared to other traffic rails while serving the same purpose of capturing vehicles. They are cost-effective and can get the job done.
There are two types of wire rope barriers. They can either be low-tension or high-tension. Low-tension wire barriers have tensed wires able to eliminate any sag occurring between posts. They contain springs at both ends and are compressed to maintain the overall tension within the system. When impact occurs on a low-tension wire barrier, they would tend to lie on the ground making it non-functional unless repaired. On the other hand, high-tension wire rope barriers can withstand a large impact and can remain strung after collision. Depending on the damage, some posts can still function normally even after such impact.
There are a lot of considerations in choosing a proper wire rope barrier, mainly it depends on its performance limits. Such limits include safety testing, in which it should conform to traffic rules and safety, structural adequacy, wherein no vehicle should be able to penetrate the guard rail, occupant risk, the system should not penetrate passenger compartment, and vehicle trajectory, where vehicles should not intrude in adjacent lines after impact.
Wire rope barriers are tricky and it takes an expert to know what you actually need, and at Ambitions Metal Products LLC it is our personal mission to be of service to your wire rope barrier needs.
