There are many reasons why Plastic water filled barriers are chosen over traditional concrete barriers. For some, it is a matter of cost, while others, it is the portability factor that makes them appealing. There are also instances where a plastic barrier may not be the best choice. To fully understand their uses, let’s explore some of the advantages and disadvantages of using plastic barriers. Before we discuss the pros and cons of using plastic barriers, we should explain what they are. Plastic barriers are hollow plastic structures that are formed from polyethylene. They are manufactured to be lightweight and portable, some gaining additional strength and stability from being filled with water or sand once they are on site. They are effective for traffic control on highways and around work sites. Plastic barriers are also very useful for crowd control and pedestrian walkways. They are available in various shapes, sizes, colors and price ranges. Here are some of the advantages of utilizing plastic barriers for your next project.
Plastic barriers are made of a light weight polyethylene which is much lighter than traditional concrete barriers it can reused many times which will save the cost of purchasing new barriers.
Their portability and lightweight also means they are less labor intensive and can be handled and installed easily by two individuals. Many designs allow for movement of the barriers with a forklift. Special 6” wide grooves designed into the barriers allow for easy lifting and relocation. The unique inter connection slots design makes it easy to create a continuous wall without the use of cables or pins.
The polyethylene plastic comes in a wide variety of brilliant colors which allow them to be easily seen even from a distance. Visibility is a vital component of the plastic barriers effectiveness. An ultraviolet light inhibitor is added to the plastic to insure the colors won’t fade when exposed to long periods of sunlight. Since the barriers are made from polyethylene, they are 100% recyclable and will not end up in landfills.
In addition to the colorful plastic, these barriers desgined to accommodate lights, signage, and reflectors to become more visible. Custom logos can also be incorporated into the design during the tooling process, which can help prevent form theft from job sites.
Each barrier is molded to a thickness of 8mm to ensure that it will not burst upon filling. It will not crack or break under normal use and are built to withstand the elements over a long period of time. It also have a large drains to prevent water from backing up behind the barriers.
There are a variety of sizes and design avail- able, from the standard Jersey barrier heights of 32 inches to higher or low model barriers which are generally 18 inches in height. The lower heights are ideal when visibility may be impaired by utilizing a higher barrier. Plastic barriers are a great choice for temporary projects which may require continued relocation of the barriers. They can be moved between work sites or events with ease and stored when not in use.
Plastic barriers are also available for specialty installation such as highways and military operations.The highway barriers meets the specifications of the NCHRP (National Cooperative High- way Research Program) Report 350, “Rec- ommended Procedures for the Safety Per- formance Evaluation of Highway Features”, making them effective in containing vehicle failures up to 60 MPH. The highway barriers include metal reinforcements on both sides which gives them the addtional stability for this application.
Plastic blast barriers are also available for military use. Filled with either sand or water it proves to be effective for many applications including anti-terrorism, building security, blast mitigation, and force protection. The combination of strength and portability make it as an ideal choice.
| ITEM | Description |
|---|---|
| OVERALL LENGTH | 2000 |
| OVERALL HEIGHT | 800 |
| OVERALL BASE WIDTH | 500 |
| OVERALL WEIGHT | 21,23,25 |
