1.

1 Installation of Crash Barriers

Crash barriers are essential safety features on roads and highways, serving as a critical line of
defence against vehicular accidents. Their primary purpose is to mitigate the severity of crashes
by redirecting vehicles or absorbing impact energy, thereby reducing the risk of injury or fatalities
to drivers and passengers.

The specific criteria and values for installing crash barriers as per IRC:119 (Guidelines for Traffic
Safety Barriers) are:

Barriers on Road Embankments: Installation of crash barriers depends on the height and slope
of the embankment. Crash barriers are not warranted for embankment slopes of 3:1 or flatter.

Shielding Roadside Objects: Crash barriers are necessary if it is not feasible to remove or relocate
hazards. For instance, the installation of barriers is suggested based on the proximity of the
obstacle to the road and the road’s design speed, which dictates the required clear zone width.

Protection from Ditches: Crash barriers are recommended if the ditch cross-section is outside
preferred specifications (e.g., a Vee Ditch with a bottom width < 2.44 m; Round Ditch with a
bottom width between 2.44 m and 3.66 m, etc.). Specifics on barrier installation are provided
based on the ditch's depth and the steepness of its sides.

Steep Grades: Crash barriers are considered on steep grades where vehicle control might be lost,
particularly where brakes may fail.

These specifications ensure barriers are installed in locations where they can effectively mitigate
accidents and enhance roadside safety.

Installation Guidelines:

It is recommended to install the thrie beam steel barriers with steel post, as per IRC guidelines
described in IRC: 119-2015 (Guidelines for Traffic Safety Barriers). The thrie beam steel barrier with
steel post is similar to the simple W-beam crash barrier but is less prone to damage by vehicle
collisions, especially for shallow angle impacts. The post and spacer blocks are of steel channel
section of dimensions 75 mm x 150 mm x 5 mm. The spacing of the posts is 2 m centre to centre.
The post is 845 mm high above the ground and is driven into the ground to a depth of 1255 mm.
All steel components and fasteners are galvanised through the hot-dip process. Figure 1 shows
the sectional view of a thrie beam crash barrier.
Figure 1: Typical section of Thrie Beam-type steel barrier (IRC 119: 2015)
Figure 1: Sample Images of Installed Crash Barriers