Bollards are short but sturdy vertical posts primarily used for controlling vehicular traffic to prevent ram riding and auto ramming attacks. Commonly installed outside banks, malls, commercial complexes, airports and other places of public importance, the bollards provide the physical strength needed to obstruct vehicles posing a security risk to the protected areas.
What is the objective of bollards?
While the primary objective of bollards improving safety from car ramming, they can also be used to control vehicular movement and increase the aesthetic appeal of the exterior design.
1. Security
Bollards provide safety from distracted and out-of-control vehicles that can hit any building. Also, they create a strong shield against car ramming attacks.
2. Controlled access
The bollards restrict access to designated places like parking, walking path and gallery. In other words, they direct the vehicular traffic to maintain a safe distance from marked areas.
3. Aesthetic value
Vertical bollard posts are also used to increase the aesthetic appeal of the architecture. These are called aesthetic bollards and they are used to add more colors, graphics, and art to the exterior design of buildings.
What are the types of bollards?
There are three main types of bollards
1. Permanent
Fixed at places, these bollards provide a permanent solution to control traffic and improve the aesthetic value of architecture. The material used for making permanent bollards is either stainless steel or concrete.
2. Collapsible
These bollards provide safety to both the site and the vehicles. They collapse on hitting. Vehicles can apply emergency brakes before hitting the collapsible bollards and prevent damage to both the property and the vehicles. Collapsible bollards are largely made of rubber.
3. Removable
These bollards provide the flexibility needed to change location according to the needs. Largely made of plastic, they are more suitable for marking places of working in high traffic areas.
