Crash barriers are crucial for road traffic safety, widely used in highways, bridges, and residential roads. Their stability directly affects the safety of pedestrians and vehicles. If crash barriers sway, not only will their protective effect be reduced, but they may also cause secondary accidents during vehicle collisions. Therefore, it is essential to promptly identify the cause of the swaying and take scientific reinforcement measures. Below, we will explain in detail the reinforcement methods and key points for swaying crash barriers in common scenarios.What glass thickness is safe for glass railings?
Before reinforcement, it is necessary to first identify the core cause of the swaying in order to address the problem effectively. There are three main common causes of swaying: First, an unstable foundation, such as insufficient depth of the guardrail posts, loose concrete bases, or failure to compact the surrounding soil during installation, leading to easy swaying of the posts under stress. Second, loose connections; bolts and clips between the guardrail panels and posts, and between posts and bases, may loosen or even rust due to long-term exposure to vehicle vibration and weathering, increasing gaps at the connections. Third, aging or damage to materials; some older guardrails, due to prolonged use, suffer from steel corrosion and concrete cracking, resulting in decreased structural strength and inability to withstand normal external forces.Can Glass Railings Display Holographic Images?
To address the different causes of swaying, corresponding reinforcement measures can be taken. The core principle is to “strengthen the foundation, tighten connections, and reinforce the structure.” For swaying caused by an unstable foundation, priority should be given to reinforcing the post foundation. For simple roadside guardrails with posts directly inserted into the soil, first remove the wobbly posts, fill the holes with gravel and compact it, then reinsert the posts. If necessary, weld a steel plate to the bottom of the post to increase the load-bearing area. For guardrails with concrete bases, if cracks appear in the base, first clean the debris from the cracks, inject epoxy repair adhesive, and then wrap with carbon fiber cloth to enhance structural strength. If the base has settled and become loose, the existing loose concrete needs to be removed, and a higher-strength concrete should be poured, with reinforcing bolts pre-embedded.What to do if tempered glass railings spontaneously shatter?
Loose connections are a frequent cause of guardrail wobbling. Reinforcement focuses on tightening and upgrading the connecting components. First, thoroughly inspect all bolts, nuts, clips, and other connecting components of the guardrail. Tighten any loose parts with a wrench. For severely corroded connecting parts, replace them directly with new parts made of stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized material to prevent further rapid corrosion. Simultaneously, anti-loosening washers can be added to the bolt and nut connections, or thread-locking agent can be applied to enhance the stability of the connection and prevent loosening due to vibration. For situations where the gap between the guardrail panel and the post is too large, rubber pads or metal shims can be installed at the gap to fill it and also provide cushioning and shock absorption.
If the guardrail shakes due to material aging or structural damage, structural reinforcement or partial replacement is necessary. For guardrails with rust, first grind away the rust, then apply anti-rust primer and anti-corrosion topcoat. If the rust is severe and the steel section is thinned, the damaged part needs to be cut and new steel segments welded, or the entire guardrail section needs to be replaced. For cracks in concrete guardrails, in addition to injecting repair adhesive, external steel plates can be used for reinforcement. Expansion bolts are used to fix the steel plates to the guardrail surface to improve the overall load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, for guardrails on curves, downhill sections, and other areas with high stress, additional diagonal braces or horizontal tie rods can be added. One end of the diagonal brace is fixed to the middle of the post, and the other end is fixed to a pre-embedded part in the ground, forming a triangular support structure to enhance the guardrail’s resistance to lateral displacement.
The following key points should be noted during reinforcement operations: First, safety precautions must be taken before operation. Warning signs should be set up in the construction area to guide vehicles and pedestrians to detour and avoid accidents during construction. Second, the reinforcement materials used must be compatible with the original guardrail material. For example, steel guardrails must use the same type of steel and matching bolts to ensure structural compatibility. Third, stability tests must be conducted after reinforcement. The guardrail can be gently tapped with a hammer to observe if there is still any wobbling, or the structural strength can be tested using professional equipment to ensure that safety standards are met.
Post-reinforcement maintenance is equally important. It is recommended to regularly inspect the guardrails, especially after severe weather such as heavy rain and typhoons, to promptly check for new wobbling or damage and take preventative reinforcement measures. Through scientific reinforcement measures and regular maintenance, the stability of guardrails can be effectively improved, fully realizing their safety protection function and ensuring road traffic safety.