Q: What are the Different Types of Vehicle Barriers?

A: Vehicle barriers are designed to block roadways to thwart vehicle-based attacks. There are two main categories — permanent or temporary — and they function exactly as the names imply.

Permanent barriers have a below-grade steel substructure that is cemented in place. They provide continuous protection at a single location. Types include:

Arrestor model wedge barrier

Wedge barriers get their name because of their wedge shape when viewed from the side. They are sometimes called plate barriers because the most common type uses a steel plate angled toward the approaching vehicle. Our Arrestor  and Lightfoot barriers are actually a wedge type, though their open, see-through design and energy-absorbing band technology makes them a much more aesthetic solution.

Gater model beam barrier (beam only or beam + fence)

Beam barriers use a beam extending across the road. Usually the beam swings vertically to allow the vehicle to pass, but horizontal swinging versions and telescoping beams are also available. Some vertical swing designs require a massive steel counterweight (many thousands of pounds) to balance the beam, and a large capacity hydraulic system to move the beam. Our Gater model vertical pivot lift barrier uses a spring-balanced aluminum beam (with internal energy-absorbing bands) and requires only a 24-volt DC electric operator. Sometimes beam barriers will have a fence section attached to restrict pedestrian traffic. The fence can be either ornamental or a high-security, anti-climb

B-Cube model bollard barrier

design. We offer our Gater model barrier with this fence option.

Bollards are vertical cylinders. The name derives from the large cylinders used on wharves to tie down ships, and comes from an old English word for tree trunk. Retractable bollards are used to block roadways, whereas fixed bollards are widely used for perimeter security around a facility. We offer bollards in a range of stopping powers, plus we have a unique design called the B³ ("B-Cube") for which the vehicle stopping power can be upgraded without excavation and replacement.

Temporary Barriers — which rest on the road surface — are designed to be set up and removed quickly. They can be set up at any location and are usually used for extra security at high-profile events or during a threat escalation. Types include:

Mobile barriers are self-contained trailers licensed for over-the-road travel, that can be pulled by a heavy-duty pickup truck. The barrier is moved into position across a roadway, the axle and wheels disengage, and the barrier is lowered onto the roadbed. These barriers can be operated manually, powered by an electrical umbilical, or powered from a self-contained electrical generator or solar array.

Portable barriers are essentially identical to mobile barriers, except they do not have wheels and are not configured as over-the-road trailers. They are typically trucked to their deployment site and then placed on the roadbed using a forklift or mobile crane.

Semi-Permanent barriers straddle the definition between permanent and temporary. They are delivered to the site and then anchored. Some types are built on large steel plates that bolt to the road surface. Others have massive housings on each end that are filled with concrete, sand, or other material. They are temporary in the sense they can be removed without major roadway excavation. However, they lack the major advantage of temporary barriers: rapid setup and takedown in response to changing security conditions.