Bollards are small, sturdy, vertical posts crafted of steel usually, to prevent entry and safeguard pedestrians and properties from colliding vehicles damage. The vehicles and passengers, due to collision face injury, and damage occurs to the Bollards also. Introduction of a new system of bollards, known as slow stop in the US and soft stop in Europe, allows the bollard to give slightly upon collision, reducing the major impact forces greatly, felt by the colliding vehicle and the bollards system also, has helped to solve this problem.
We see bollards around us everywhere in parking lots, drive-thru lanes, driveways, these bollards are used to protect buildings, gas metres, fire hydrants, teller machines, electrical equipment, handicap parking signs, Gate entry keypads, and prevent the access to undesired areas. Bollards are necessary for safeguarding pedestrians and guarding storage racks and capital equipment against truck collisions in factories and warehouses.
The Problem
Bollards for foundation mounts are installed in one of the two ways. The first less expensive method is using a plate mounted bollard. They are steel pipes welded to a flat steel plate mounted to a hard surface using concrete anchors. This is a quick and less expensive method of installation, it requires the installer to drill 4 to 8 holes in the concrete and bolts the bollard with screw anchors or expansion. The problem with this installation method is that the anchors are not strong enough to withstand something more than a minor collision. Anchors are mostly pulled up and the plate bends, leaving a leaned post which no longer serves the purpose. Such plate mounted bollards require regular maintenance and replacement.
The second method involves a long steel pipe buried in the deep ground in a small portion. This gives the bollard more strength than the surface mounted one. It is very expensive. Installation needs drilling a hole in the surface with an expensive Diamond bladed coring saw. The Machines and blades are costly and require water cooling, making a mess during the process of installation. For more strength, the bollards are filled with concrete also. The bollard pipe is less expensive but the method of installation is time-consuming and expensive.
Disadvantages
1.Although desired in high-security uses, any vehicle impacting such bollards will be damaged and its passengers are at risk of injury. Loads in load-carrying trucks can be thrown. The bollards are also damaged by such an impact, leaving a leaned and less effective barrier requiring expensive maintenance for repair.
2.This type of installation is permanent with little flexibility for movement. In factories, equipment is moved and rearranged mostly. So bollards used to protect storage racks for equipment which are core installed cannot be moved easily.
In an attempt to solve such problems plastic or spring-loaded bollards were created but they suffered from lack of strength. Minor collisions lead to wear away from such devices and in outdoors UV degradation becomes a matter of concern.
Revolutionary new design
The new designs soft stop in Europe and the slow stop bollard system solves many of the problems related with traditional foundation mounted bollards. The slow stop bollards use a simple method of installation, reducing the cost of installation, maintaining the flexibility to move bollards. This causes less damage to both offending vehicles and the bollard system. It not only avoids vehicle damage but also the chances of passenger injury is reduced. In a factory or warehouse, there is a reduction in the chance of a thrown load, preventing the potential for injury of bystander and loss of stock. Finally, the damage to the bollard and its foundation is also reduced.
Conclusion
The slow stop bollard system is a new revolutionary design solving most of the problems related with the collisions as well as installation and maintenance of bollards. Damage to the vehicles, passengers, loads, and the bollards is effectively decreased due to elastomers hidden inside the base of the bollard, absorbing the impact injury. This allows the bollard to kill when impacted and stand upright later. Slow stop bollards installation is quick and less expensive, they are flexible and easy to maintain. Barriers and safety fencing are created using modular connectors, avoiding the welding of pipes together.
