The UAE boasts one of the most congested and challenging road networks in the region. The high-speed roads link all of the seven emirates, the mega-projects are being built almost everywhere, and the number of licensed drivers continues to grow each year. All of that puts pressure on the road safety infrastructure, and concrete barriers are doing the work of keeping vehicles, workers and pedestrians apart from the disaster — and the work is not a glamorous one.
It is a guide to the major types of road safety concrete barriers utilized throughout the UAE, the standards that actually count and how to assess a supplier as well as where these barriers are used.
The significance of concrete barrier supplier on UAE Roads.
Road safety in the UAE is more than just a box to tick—it’s a serious national priority. Over the last ten years traffic authorities in the emirates have been investing heavily in the physical road infrastructure, and this investment is reflected in the number of road fatalities, which have seen sustained and dramatic reductions over time as a result of a combination of enforcement and education as well as investment in infrastructure.
One of the most visible nits of that infrastructure narrative is the concrete barrier. They’re not particularly noticed because they shouldn’t be — a barrier that does its job well is a barrier nobody has to think about. However, as the roads continue to grow in number, maintaining that safety record relies on a correct road infrastructure.
What is a Road Safety Concrete Barrier supplier?
A road safety concrete barrier is a precast or cast in place structure used to redirect vehicles that have lost control, separate opposing lanes of highway, construction site and urban roads and to protect workers and pedestrians from moving vehicles on highways. The impact resistance, structural permanency and sheer mass are important characteristics of concrete when it is desired to stop a vehicle and is a superior material to most alternatives.
Concrete is particularly suitable to the climate in the UAE because of its resistance to corrosion, degradation caused by UV rays and temperature fluctuations. It also can be recycled at end-of-life, as it becomes a road base material, not a waste into landfill. Barriers can be cast in a variety of finishes and colours, therefore not necessarily utilitarian, but blending in with the existing urban environment.
With hot summer temperatures regularly exceeding 45C and always high humidity by the coast, these aren’t just nice to have features, they are required for any product to be relied upon for years.
Types of Concrete Road Barriers Used in the UAE
Not every concrete barrier is used for the same purpose. The UAE suppliers generally create a number of different barriers, each of which is appropriate for a different use.
Jersey Barriers
The most familiar profile in the world of road safety is the Jersey barrier, which is a sloped, roughly 45 degree face that gently pushes the car back into the lane, instead of stopping it. They can be used as a permanent or temporary safety barrier on highways, at construction sites, or any other location where traffic needs to be directed. They are also effective measures to deter unauthorized access to vehicles, and their weight makes them more effective in that regard. A standard Jersey barrier is 810mm high, 600mm wide at the bottom and 150mm wide at the top, and 3,050mm long.
F-Shape Barriers
The heavier duty version of the f-shape barrier is designed for high speed/high traffic corridors. The profile is similar to that of a Jersey barrier, but slightly modified to better absorb high speed impacts. In the UAE most precast manufacturers make both profiles at the same time.
The barrier is missing from half of the screen
These are for use when one side of the road is impacted by traffic but the opposite side is fixed or not being used for traffic — usually on medians, roadside, or urban streets where the opposite side of the street is not being used for traffic or is fixed. These applications are typically supplied by the UAE with either configuration.
Temporary Interlocking Barriers
The temporary barriers are constructed in construction sites and other areas where the layout is continuously changing. They are connected via a pin system that is male-female, installed and moved rapidly and do not need permanent fixing, which is a great match for the fast-moving UAE construction projects.
A supplier should have all the following standards and certifications:
This is the point at which a real road safety barrier supplier distinguishes themselves from a reseller. Standards here are not meant to be read and filed, they are the ones that will make or break a barrier when it is needed.
The road barrier suppliers in UAE should be pursuing a few important benchmarks; the local road authority’s lane diversion and installation codes, the typical barrier heights (800mm to 1200mm), visibility requirements for reflectivity, and municipal codes for fire resistance for tunnel and industrial applications, and finally, the EN 1317 crash test certification for high impact zones.
EN 1317 is the European standard for road restraint systems, and is commonly used in the specifications for infrastructure in the UAE. It establishes containment levels, the severity of impacts and categories of working width, which in turn define the type of barrier for a particular road section or speed range.
A reputable supplier should be able to provide documentation when asked for, such as compliance with the EN 1317 standard for permanent installations, approval from the local roads authority for public projects, and ISO 9001 for an indicator of manufacturing consistency.
Concrete Barriers suppliers Applications in UAE for Road Safety
Highways and Inter-Emirate Roads.
Median barriers separate high speed opposing traffic on major arteries that connect the emirates. They are long term and permanent installations, which require maximum containment barriers that are designed to last for decades.
Construction Zone Protection
It is one of the most active application areas at present. The UAE is constantly developing infrastructure, energy, real estate and hospitality projects, which require the need for continuous supply of temporary barriers for active worksites.
Urban and School Zone Traffic Management and Control.
Barriers are being placed increasingly in residential areas, by schools and around traffic calming devices by suppliers. The installations require careful design for use in lower speed settings and, in many cases, be more visually blended into the setting than a highway barrier.
Event Security and Crowd Management.
Concrete barriers are also for security purposes such as protecting large public events, government facilities and high footfall areas throughout Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Guidelines on How to choose Road Safety Concrete Barrier Supplier
The price is not suitable criteria to select a barrier supplier. An ill-specified barrier is not only a bad investment, it’s a burden, a delay, and a safety hazard. There are a few points that a proper evaluation should take into account.
Product Quality
This comes first. Seek a supplier that has an existing precast plant, documented QC procedures, a consistent concrete mix design and verifiable compressive strength information. The barriers that are meant for UAE highways or public infrastructure should have certain strength specifications and a serious supplier need not hesitate in providing test certificates.
Compliance Documentation
There is no flexibility in this case. Your supplier should be able to provide you with evidence that they meet the standards which are relevant to your project; this could be in the form of the following: EN 1317, Approved by the local roads authority or Approved by the municipal. If they are unable to produce it, then go to the next alternative.
Logistics and Delivery
This is a very ‘time sensitive’ market. Large orders that require quick turnaround are often essential for time-sensitive projects in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Northern Emirates for time-sensitive projects that depend on infrastructure and construction — if the supplier isn’t fast, they’ll become a hindrance in your time management.
Customisation Capability
Don’t assume it’s easy to have custom lengths, finishes, colour coatings, or reflective treatments; make sure the supplier is able to provide those if they are part of your project.
The broader issue of Road Safety Concrete Barrier Supplier
Concrete barriers are just one element of a comprehensive multi-layered road safety system. The UAE has identified a few repetitive bad driving habits that are responsible for a significant percentage of the serious road incidents that occur every year: distractions, tailgating, lane change, inattention. Physical infrastructure cannot solve driver behaviour issues, but it can have a significant impact on reducing the impact of those issues if they do occur.
The UAE’s road death toll has dropped significantly over the last 10 years, as a result of increased enforcement, improved driver training, more intelligent technology, and most important, continuing investments in physical safety infrastructure. Concrete barriers are seldom credited with that trend – no one takes the time to take a picture of a barrier – but its shock absorption and redistribution is hard to beat by other materials.
It is important to select the right partner to make the difference.
There are many established UAE road safety concrete barriers suppliers from large precast factories, producing concrete barriers for road construction projects of highway scale to more local ones, that are focused on concrete barriers used in construction sites and those used for municipal work.
The key element to the right partner is based on project size, geography, certification needs, project timeframe and budget. Instead, determine which compliance requirements are relevant to your project, then reverse-engineer the product specification you require and then weigh suppliers not only on their ability to meet all of your requirements, but also their reliability when it comes to the operation of the supplier.
When the infrastructure requirements are high, and client expectations are equally high, the one time-cut that is likely to cost more than save is to cut corners when choosing suppliers.