W-Beam Guardrail Barrier
Australia's most used roadside safety barrier system.
The W-Beam Guardrail system is the most commonly used road safety barrier system Australia-wide.
The key reason for its popularity and widespread use is that it consists of a post and block design, which has been crash tested as being highly effective in the reduction of snagging and preventing vehicles from vaulting or rolling over the safety barrier.
W-Beam Guardrail Barrier Gallery
Proven crash safety.
Test results have shown that in vehicle accident scenarios involving W-Beam Guardrails, the crash energy is significantly absorbed by the rotation of the posts and through the surrounding soil before the separation of the guardrail.When the guardrail and posts separate, the rail forms a re-directive ribbon, guiding the vehicle away from the nearby hazard and reducing the chance of the vehicle hurdling over the barrier.
Metal fencing Specialists install, repair and replace W-Beam Guardrails and end terminals all over NSW. Renowned for their reliability and expertise, our experienced installers have completed projects for several metropolitan and regional councils, as well as the NSW Roads and Maritime Services.
- High visibility, promoting driver safety and confidence
- Reduces wheel snagging and the consequential effects of vaulting or rollover due to its Post and Block design (which combines the flexible resistance of a rigid guardrail with the bending resistance of the supporting posts)
- Performs well on the outside curves, even those of relatively small radius, as the concave shape supports the development of tension in the rail
- Suitable for use in verge or median locations as well as straight, concave and convex roads sections
- Can be configured to integrate handrails and restructured to accommodate various rail configurations (including single rail w-beam, double rail w-beam and thrie-beam rail)
- 2m standard post spacing
- Height to top of rail:
- 710 mm (SA & NSW)
- 730 mm (QLD & WA)
- 1.0m Dynamic deflection at 2.0 m post spacing
- 30 m minimum length (recommended)
- 600mm minimum distance between the rear of the system and the hinge point of the batter (recommended)
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Please note that we only service the Sydney region and are unable to do residential jobs.
Australian Road Authority Compliant.
Our W-Beam Guardrail system has been manufactured in strict compliance with Australian Road Authority specifications for your peace of mind.
Don’t settle for anything less than the best when it comes to your roadside protection – make your safety our business.
For more information on the W-Beam Guardrail, professional consultation or an obligation free quote, contact Metal Fencing Specialists today on 1300 904 284.
The W-Beam system is part of our complete range of roadside guardrails, which includes Thrie-Beam, ARMCO, and Ezy-Guard options to suit different road environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
W-Beam guardrail is a corrugated steel barrier system named for its distinctive W-shaped cross-section. It is one of the most widely used road safety barriers in Australia, with a long track record of performance on both rural and urban roads. The system is manufactured to Australian standards, hot-dip galvanised for corrosion resistance, and available in containment levels suited to a broad range of speed environments.
We install W-Beam guardrail by driving or concreting steel posts into the ground at the specified spacing, then bolting the corrugated rail sections to the posts using block outs where they are needed to achieve the correct working height. End terminals are fitted at each end of the barrier run, and the entire installation is checked against the project plans and AS/NZS 3845 requirements before handover.
Standard W-Beam guardrail is typically installed with posts at 1.875 m or 2.0 m spacing, though tighter spacing may be specified for higher-containment applications or constrained sites. Post spacing is determined by the design engineer based on the required containment level, vehicle speed, and site-specific conditions. Our team works with you to design the post spacing distance, and will make sure your W-Beam system is installed to the project documentation.
W-Beam can be installed as a single-sided roadside barrier or as a median barrier with back-to-back rail. For median installations, the post spacing and working width requirements differ from standard roadside configurations, and thrie beam sections are sometimes used at transitions. We work with project managers to assess the application and design the most appropriate configuration for your project.
Hot-dip galvanised W-Beam guardrail is designed for long service life with minimal maintenance requirements under ‘normal’ conditions. After a collision, we recommend post-impact inspections are completed, and damaged sections should be replaced as soon as possible to restore the barrier to its tested containment level.
