Armco Crash Barrier Beam 3.2m – Hot-Dip Galvanised Corrugated Steel, 3mm Thick, W-Profile

The standard corrugated Armco beam used to build vehicle impact barriers around yards, car parks and loading areas. Each beam is 3.5m overall and covers 3.2m of run once the lap is taken up, so beams bolt end to end into a continuous line with no gaps at the joints.

Why it is used

• Absorbs and deflects vehicle impact instead of letting it reach the asset behind.
• The W corrugation makes a thin steel section far stiffer than a flat plate.
• Hot-dip galvanising protects every cut edge and hole, inside and out.
• Beams overlap and bolt together, so a run can be extended at any time.
• A recognised, repairable system – a damaged beam is unbolted and swapped.

Where it is used

• Loading bay aprons, yard edges and turning circles
• Car park perimeters, ramp edges and pedestrian refuges
• Protecting buildings, tanks, plant, gas meters and substations
• Farm, depot and industrial estate access roads

Construction

Cold-rolled mild steel formed into the familiar W-section profile and then hot-dip galvanised after fabrication, so the zinc covers the punched holes and sheared ends as well as the faces. Slotted holes along the web allow the beams to be lapped and adjusted before the bolts are pulled up tight.

Specification

Sizes

This is the full beam at 3.2m nominal length. Half beams, corner sections, posts and end treatments are separate items within the same system.

Installation

Set the posts first, at the spacing required by the layout, and check the line and level before fixing any beam. Lift each beam into position – at 40kg it is a two-person lift – overlap it with the previous beam in the direction of travel, and fasten through the lapped holes with eight lap bolts, nuts and washers. Bolt the beam to each post through the central slot, then tighten the lap bolts last.

Maintenance

Inspect after any impact and replace deformed beams rather than straightening them. Check post fixings annually. Galvanised steel needs no painting, but if a beam is drilled or cut on site, treat the bare metal with a zinc-rich paint.

Suitability and limitations

This is off-highway barrier for private sites – yards, car parks and estate roads. It is not a certified highway restraint system and must not be used where a road restraint system to BS EN 1317 is specified. Performance depends entirely on the posts and their foundations: the beam alone provides no restraint.

Compliance

Hot-dip galvanised to protect the steel against corrosion in external use.

Ordering

Supplied as one beam. Posts, lap bolts, post bolts and end treatments are ordered separately – each beam-to-beam lap needs eight lap bolts, nuts and washers.