Bollards have been in use for different purposes for a very long time. We see these parking posts or barrier-like structures at different places in our everyday lives. For example, you witness the use of bollards along roadsides to provide safety and security for vehicles and pedestrians. Moreover, they are also used on roads for traffic management and control purposes.
Types of Bollards
Bollards come in many shapes, sizes, designs, materials, etc because they are used for different purposes at different places. You can use them to control the traffic like prohibiting vehicles to enter a certain area. Similarly, you can also use these parking posts and bollards to guide the traffic to take a particular path or to restrict them from taking a certain road. You can also use bollards for decorative purposes. They are available in different colors and designs to match the architecture or color scheme of a building so that they enhance the aesthetic appeal of a particular place.
There are different types of bollards that can be used at different places to serve different purposes. Some of the most common types are listed below.
- Metallic Bollards
They are made of heavy materials like iron or steel. They are covered with a galvanized finish to protect them against rusting or corroding over time. The basic purpose of this type of bollard is to provide proper safety against the impact of collision. When a car collides with bollards due to overspeeding or in case of an accident, these bollards withstand the collision easily due to their heavy weight and sturdy structure.
Metallic bollards are mostly installed at places that are more prone to accidents or security threats, etc, for example, storefronts, parking lots, and roadsides. They are also used in places where weather conditions are more severe.
- Fixed Bollards
As it is obvious from the name, fixed means they are meant to be permanently installed at a certain place. They are used at places where you need a permanent blockage of traffic vehicles or want to restrict the entry of people permanently.
Once they are installed, they cannot be moved easily. They are installed in the ground by deeply excavating the ground and soil. They are mostly made of stronger materials like iron, steel, etc because they are placed for longer time frames. They are mostly installed at places with heavy traffic flow.
- Removable Bollards
Bollards that are not fixed in the ground and are easily removable are called removable bollards. They are mostly used at private properties where people want to give customized entry and exit for vehicles or visitors.
These bollards are easy to place when you need them and can be easily removed when not in use. They provide flexibility to the owners. However, the drawback of these types of bollards is that they are not made of strong or heavy material. That is why they mostly serve the purpose as a visual barrier only.
- Construction Bollards
There are many risks involved at a site where a road or some building is under construction. That is why people have to become aware of a construction site. For this purpose, construction bollards are used as visual barriers to prevent people and vehicles from entering that place. In this way, many accidents and hazards can be prevented.
These bollards are not made of heavy material. Mostly plastic is used to make construction bollards because the main objective is to guide traffic only.
- Parking Bollards
These bollards are used for parking purposes. They help the vehicles and drivers to park in a better way without any hindrance from the other traffic. These bollards make sure that the vehicles being parked do not disturb the flow of traffic.
Advantages of Bollards
- Vehicular Safety
The main purpose of bollards is to provide safety for vehicles. They provide a strong and sturdy solution against collision. They are placed along roads to provide an intersection between vehicles and pedestrians. In this way, pedestrians do not disturb the flow of traffic and the vehicles remain safer from pedestrian indulgence.
- Security for Premises
Another advantage of bollards is that they provide security for the premises of a commercial or a residential building. They are placed outside the building to prevent unauthorized access or entrance. They are made of strong, heavy material so that no one can easily remove or surpass them.
They are placed at storefronts to secure the premises from theft, etc.
- Decorative Purposes
Bollards also provide decorative purposes. They are available in customized designs and colors to match the theme or architecture of the building or surrounding structures.
Disadvantages of Bollards
- Bollards Need Space
One of the greatest disadvantages of bollards is that they need a proper space for installation. If there is no space on the road with heavy traffic flow, then in spite of the need and requirement, security posts and bollards cannot be installed in that area due to space issues.
This is one of the greatest disadvantages related to bollard installation.
- Bollards can Cause Accidents
Another drawback of bollards is that they sometimes can cause accidents. People passing by the bollards can sometimes get confused and trip over them. They can even get seriously hurt during this process. Moreover, they can fall while crossing over the bollards and can get injured.
- Vehicular Damage
One of the most important aspects to consider while installing different types of bollards at a certain place is that they can cause serious vehicular damage. When a car is at high speed and it collides with the metallic bollard, the damage is much worse than expected. Metallic bollards on roadsides are made of heavy material and the collision of a vehicle at high speed with a bollard can result in irreparable damage to the vehicle.
Final Words
Bollards are a great option to consider when you want to prevent unauthorized access at a certain place or when you want to make sure of the smooth flow of traffic on the roads.
