Berry Systems

Safety Barrier Technology and its Development
by Ian Darlington, Managing Director, Berry Systems

Safety Barrier Technology and its Development by Ian Darlington, Managing Director, Berry Systems


To most people, safety barriers in car parks are very familiar and have been around a long time. In fact, they are quite a recent phenomenon. Even the ubiquitous Armco has only been a feature along our roads since the advent of motorways.




In open air, ground level car parks you see all manner of obstacles used to delineate the boundaries and contain vehicles. Anything from flower beds to solid concrete will stop a car with varying degrees of damage but the development of multi-storey car parks meant we had to have something to stop cars from driving off the decks with obviously disastrous consequences.




Initially designers relied on the strength and resilience of concrete for both perimeter facade and safety barrier in one - and this legacy can still be seen in many multi-storey car parks throughout the UK. However, a series of accidents in the 1960s and 70s showed that a new and better barrier was needed.




Berry Systems was at the forefront of this development with our Spring Steel Buffers that were manufactured specifically with car parks in mind. They were designed to sustain a ‘head on’ blow at relatively low speeds and minimise damage to vehicle, barrier, car park structure and of course the driver and any passengers.




We can argue that these barriers were ahead of their time because they’ve been leading the market (with regular updates) ever since. However, the turn of the millennium marked significant changes to the car park market. The concrete monstrosities of the 60's were progressively crumbling and that style of architecture was now viewed more often with horror than affection. Building styles became much more dynamic, particularly with the use of steel frames and car park design needed to keep up. Various forms of steel cladding or facades were incorporated to create better aesthetic appeal and this rapidly highlighted the need for new perimeter systems.




The simple dilemma is that concrete is an effective barrier (albeit a very blunt instrument) but looks old fashioned and is difficult to repair and maintain. It’s also relatively expensive and non recyclable. Metal or timber cladding looks great but you can drive straight through it! For a while the preferred solution was to fit cladding on the outside and steel barriers on the inside. A classic combination of style and practicality. The disadvantages being that you have the cost of two elements rather than one and the barrier has to be moved away from the edge which increases its footprint in the parking bay and results in a loss of expensive space. That said, this is still one of the best options on a refurbishment project, particularly where the quality of the concrete is suspect.




To avoid the loss of space, barriers can be designed into the structure to provide the vital stopping power. But, although frequently made of steel, most of them are little more forgiving than the solid concrete walls they have superceded and are expensive to repair after an impact.




Revisions to British Standards, regulations and recommendations in the mid 1990's/early 2000's directly led to the development of systems that could be used as combined vehicle barriers and perimeter edges. Any fixture - such as a safety barrier - below 550 mm high was deemed to be a step-up point for pedestrians and the effective height of any handrail has to be measured from that point. The inclusion of an anti-climb mesh and integral handrail solved the problem. And these systems arrived on the scene just as minimalist styles were growing in popularity and now architects often like to see the cars in the car park, rather than hiding them behind a facade. Open car parks also assist with air flow and usually require less daytime lighting.




However, there’s still room for improvement. Most combined systems still have a noticeable footprint in the parking bay or lack the flexibility of a spring steel system to absorb impacts and so minimise damage.




One of the major innovations in highway barriers in the last 15 years has been the use of tensioned wire ropes rather than steel beams and this has now been applied to car park construction. Steel wires are anchored to the structural columns and then tensioned. Wire mesh or perforated panels are then clipped over the wires and you have an integrated facade and safety barrier that will flex and absorb impacts but has a zero bay footprint. The panels are quickly and easily replaceable and the wires completely re-usable after an impact although may need re-tensioning.




At present, the system is aimed at the new build market as it has to be designed into the structural requirements. Advantageously, much longer runs are achievable than traditional barriers which need posts every 1600 or 1500 mm or more like 800 mm for twice force applications. The Berry Brisafe Wire Rope system only needs supporting every 7.2 metres (generally using existing structural columns) but with flexibility up to 10 metres. Anchorage points can be much further apart.




But what of the future? I am convinced barriers will play a much greater part in the design image of a car park. We’ve seen huge strides in recent years in deck coating technology, lighting, signage etc. all resulting in a vastly improved environment in modern car parks making them much more user friendly and welcoming. Now barrier technology can bring something to the party as well. By combining the barrier and the facade we have removed one of the obstacles to achieving clean, simple designs. The mesh or perforated panels in wire systems are there to stop people falling through but they open up tremendous design potential. Panels can be any colour, the perforations can be any shape . Now the perimeters of a car park can be used to promote styles, corporate identities and could incorporate logos or signs as part of their manufacture.




That’s all very well for new build but a massive part of the barrier market is refurbishment and much of that based on crumbling concrete relics that are limited in their design flexibility. Here there has to be a compromise between aesthetics and practical performance. As I’ve already said, systems like Brisafe Wire Ropes have to be designed in and floor mounted systems take up space and, crucially, need decks sound enough to hold the anchor bolts. There is undoubtedly an opportunity for a retro-fit version of Brisafe or any system that can be installed quickly, looks good, has a minimal footprint, is easily repairable and also recyclable.




But we’re still using steel because it gives the essential performance as a safety barrier. One of the challenges of the next few years will be to determine whether alternative materials can be used as effectively and as sustainably. The love affair with plastics in our society in the 1980s never affected our market and, although progress has been made in achieving adequate impact strengths, the performance of plastic mounting posts was never good enough and the question of environmental responsibility must now be added to those of long term UV degradation, fire performance and whole life costings that are yet to be adequately proved where plastics are concerned. Other materials such as timber or aluminium all have advantages and disadvantages in pretty equal measure but none have yet matched the all round performance of steel. Nevertheless I expect the next 10 years to produce more innovation in barrier design than the last 20 and my personal challenge is to make sure Berry Systems stays at the forefront.