When it comes to highway safety, guardrails play a critical role in protecting drivers, reducing crash severity, and preventing vehicles from leaving the roadway. One of the most important aspects of guardrail performance is its dimensions, which determine its ability to absorb impact and deflect vehicles effectively.
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A highway guardrail is a safety barrier installed along the sides of roads, bridges, or medians to reduce the impact of collisions. Guardrails are designed to:
The W-beam is the most common type of guardrail used on highways worldwide.
W-beam guardrails are typically mounted on C-channel or I-beam steel posts, which are either driven into the ground or set in concrete, depending on site conditions.
Thrie-beam guardrails are wider and offer better impact resistance, often used in high-speed or high-impact zones.
These are often installed where greater containment is needed—such as near medians, on bridges, or in areas with heavy truck traffic.
End terminals are essential for energy absorption and safe termination of the guardrail system.
Whether you’re a road contractor, civil engineer, or procurement officer, understanding highway guardrail dimensions is vital for road safety and project success. Make sure to consult relevant national guidelines and work with certified suppliers to ensure your guardrail system meets both regulatory and performance standards.
Guides
Guardrails are used for safety and barrier purposes and are an integral part of various industrial structures. These assemblies are typically installed at platform ends and are incorporated within mezzanine structures in industrial sites, such as warehouses. They are used on highways as a protection barrier against vehicle impact, to prevent falls, and in production areas. Standard guardrail fabrication materials include variations of Stainless Steel, a material recommended because of its durability. Wooden guardrails are another common barrier material. There are numerous variations of standard guardrails, which must comply with OSHA standards. Both single and double railing systems are a standard guardrail installation option.
The most common types of guardrails include:
W-beam
Curved
Bolt-on
Drop-in
W-beams are the standard traffic and highway safety rails and are constructed in high gauge steel. To protect against environmental conditions, this type of beam is fabricated with zinc coatings and weather (resistant) coated materials.
Curved guardrails feature a convex or concave-shaped rail and are used to provide protection on roadways and highways that have a bend radius to them. These units are usually prefabricated to fit the required dimensions of the site where they will be installed. Concave rails are those in which the rail curves in towards the vehicle, while convex rails are those that curve away from the vehicle.
Drop-in rails feature brackets that allow post sections to slide into the structure upon installation. This type of railing is easily accessible.
Bolt-on rails involve specific installation with hand tools and drills, though the hardware for this type of railing is typically included by the manufacturer. Single, double, or triple rails may be selected for an application.
Pedestrian walkway protection
Workstation and transformer area barrier
Protect equipment from forklift damages
Protect building from damage (ie, walls and doors)
Installed along roadways to prevent and minimize accidents
A standard guardrail system is mounted to the floor by base plates, which are fastened with anchor bolts. Each guardrail system also includes columns that are commonly fabricated from steel. Such columns, or posts, are often pre-drilled by the manufacturer and include the hardware for installation. Standard galvanized steel systems (specifically 12-gauge) provide durability and are often fabricated in curved, 90-degree variations, for traffic areas. Other variations include cylindrical steel beams and flatter beams, featuring ribbing. For indoor and outdoor areas, railings are typically painted OSHA yellow. The type and amount of beam railing vary according to the application requirements. For instance, the railing can consist of one to three beams and the beams may be coated with UV resistant polyurethane sleeves.
Box beam guardrail, a kind of highway barrier, is not as common as traditional w beam or thrie beam guardrails, but it caters the need of appreciation of the beauty and is widely used not only on highways, but also in parks, picturesque bridges, etc.
The same as W-beam guardrails, it is made of high quality steel and plated with superior zinc coating or coated with PVC coating. Thereby, it is anti-rust and durable enough to endure the impact force. Additionally, there is no need of paying much money on the maintenance of the box beam guardrail, which makes it cost effectively in the long run.
Box beam guardrails can be used on bridges.
Advantages:
Anti-rust
Corrosion-resistant
Durable and well-constructed
Designed to have a long service life
Can be used with or without blocks
Easy to install and repair
No need of maintenance
The box beam guardrails we supply:
According to the shape of the box beam guardrail, we can divide them into two types: square and rectangular. Meanwhile, we can also provide open box beam guardrail depends on your requirements.
Are you interested in learning more about customized w beam highway guardrail? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Square box beam guardrails
Rectangular box beam guardrails
w-beam guardrail has a section or profile of W shape, it is also named as two wave beam guardrail. This is the major type of beam barriers for highways safety with symmetrical designs on each side of the beam. We supply two kinds of finishes for w beam guardrail panels: hot dipped zinc coating or plastic coating. According to the fabricated shapes, our W-beam guardrails can be divided into two types: the straight line w-beam,or the curved beams.
How to choose straight W beam or Curved Beam used for your uses?
The straight W-beam guardrail can be lined up for transitioning smoothly and is suitable to the curves with a radius greater than 45m. For the radius less than 45m, the pre-curved W-beam guardrail product exploits its advantages to a full.
W beam guard railings can be used in expressway and highways to absorb maximum energy of the impact force when collision occures and reduce harms to cars and people. It can also protect the vehicles against skidding off roads, especially mountain roads and bridges and prevent the pedestrians from the danger of walking across highways.
General Technical Information of W Beam / Two Wave Guardrail Barriers:
Base Metal Material: steel: Q235 (S235JR / ASTM A283M) or Q345 (S355JR / ASTM A529M )
Standard specification: 380*85*2.75/3/4*/mm or 306*80*2.75/3/4*mm
Surface finishing: Hot dipped galvanized finish or powder coated.
Zinc coating thickness (double sides): 550 g/m2 (40µ) / g/m2 (80µ) / g/m2 (85µ)
Relevant parts required for guard rails: post, spacer (C, U and Sigma types etc) and fasteners
Profile: W-beam / two wave.
Plate Thickness:2.5mm-4mm
Thickness Tolerance: +/-0.015mm
Popular Specification of W Beam Guardrails:
Wave width: 310mm
Wave height: 85mm
Plate thickness: 2.5mm - 4mm
Beam length: mm
Scise Most Popular W Beam Guardrail System ( beams and necessories parts for installing ) for Export is composed as following:
Guardrail W-Beam Galvanized including bolts, nuts and washers;
Guardrail Steel Post, Box Beam;
Guardrail End Units;
Guardrail Terminal Units;
Hot Dipped Galvanized Steel Guardrail W Beam;
Hot dipped galvanized terminal section;
Hot dipped galvanized round steel post;
Hot dipped galvanized post cap;
Hot dipped galvanized black spacer;
Hot dipped galvanized flat plate washer;
Hot dipped galvanized bolts.
Packing 1.)25 pieces metal beam road guardrails per bundle, and then fasten the bundle with wire straps or hemp ropes.
2.)One 20 feet GP will hold about 510 pieces.
3.) Customers' requirements are available, too
Popular Specifications:
Normal W Beam Specification ×310 × 85 × 2.5(2.67/2.7/3.0 ) × 310 × 85 × 2.5(2.67/2.7/3.0) × 310 × 85 × 2.5(2.67/2.7/3.0) Profile A Specification × 306 × 80 × 2.5(2.67/2.7/3.0) Profile B Specification × 310 × 75 × 2.5(2.67/2.7/3.0) Zinc Coating 550g/m²(40u) g/ m² (80u) g/ m² (85u) Standard JT/T 281- AASHTO-M180 RAL RG620
Wave Size Applied to W Beam Guardrails:
W-beam Length -mm Wave width 300-600mm Wave height 50-100mm Thickness 2-6mm Notes: Custom length, width, height and thickness are available as your requirements.
Curved W Wave Guardrail Radius Details:
Radius (Feet) H/ Rise (Inches) Radius (Feet) H/ Rise (Inches) 5 (1.5m) 41 55 (16.8m) 4 1/4 6 (1.8m) 36 60 (18.3m) 4 8 (2.4m) 28 65 (19.8m) 3 5/8 9 (2.7m) 26 70 (21.3m) 3 3/8 10 (3.1m) 22 75 (22.9m) 3 1/4 12 (3.7m) 20 80 (24.4m) 3 13 (4m) 18 85 (25.9m) 2 3/4 15 (4.6m) 16 90 (27.4m) 2 5/8 16 (4.9m) 14 95 (29m) 2 1/2 20 (6.1m) 11 5/8 100 (30.5m) 2 3/8 25 (7.6m) 9 1/2 110 (33.5m) 2 1/8 30 (9.1m) 7 3/4 120 (36.6m) 2 35 (10.7m) 6 3/4 130 (39.6m) 1 3/4 40 (12.2m) 6 140 (42.7m) 1 5/8 45 (13.7m) 5 1/4 150 (45.7m) 4 1/2 50 (15.2m) 4 5/8
Post and rail barrier for office block area and other sites.
Guardrail Fence:
Optional: W beam guard rail system 900 mm high
These system are going on a concrete floor.
The posts have base plates.
Delivery to Melbourne port.
We supply w wave corrugated metal beam 12 GAUGE(2.7P MIN.) for high way guard rails & bridge rails, AASHTO M 180 standard specifications and other international qualities. The system contains W-beam rail element, backup plates, and terminal sections, the 12 gage steel formed into a beam minimum 12 inches ( 300 mm) wide and 3 inches (75 mm) deep. The 6 inch channel rail and splice plate are manufactured in conformance with AASHTO M 183. AASHTO is simplified term of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Quality meeting Division 12 -- for metal beam guard rail of Kuwait and other other international qualities are also supplied.
Physical properties of the materials is as follows:
Tensile Strength: 483 MPa (min)
Yield Strength 345 MPa (min)
Elongation 12% (min).
Guard rails is supplied with Mill Test certificates of the materials.
12 Gauge Beam Guardrails: Elements and Parts
Steel Quality as per Grade Fe 410 or equivalent for W Beam.
Hot Dip Galvanizing as per AASHTO M180, 550 gm/m2.
Metal beam corrugating type: W beam
Details as below attached for reference:
1. Guard rails straight-3.0mm C/C class 'A' type
Material quality: AASHTO
3 mm thick Guard rails, W beam, in black finish.
Also Bridge Railing post only in aluminium mill finish.
2. Guard rail reflector
Quality: AASHTO
3. Railing Post, M16 x 32 bolt, Nut & Washer
Bulk Head
Finish: Galvanized
Quality: AASHTO
Guard Rails with Steel Post Blocks
GUARD RAIL TERMINATION DETAILS
4. M16 x 45 mm,Bolt, Nut & Washer
Bulk head
Finish: Galvanized
Material quality: AASHTO
Since W Beam Crash Barrier,Thrie Beam Guardrail,Galvanized Crush Barriers,Mental Beam Crush Barriers establishment, the company has always adhered to the"terminal demand as the root, Customer satisfaction first" business philosophy, attaches great importance to product quality.
The company is the world’s best Customized Steel Structure for Guardrail supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.