You are probably wondering what a bollard is anyway? And why would you need to know what it is? Well, here at StreetScape, we take urban landscaping very seriously, and we’re here to tell you that bollards help form important parts of our urban landscapes. You probably see at least one bollard every week without even realising it. These poles, to some extent, help protect us. If you are interested in understanding what a bollard is, along with the history and uses of this ingenious invention, then keep reading to find out more!
A bollard is defined as a short post that is used to create an architectural or protective perimeter. If they are installed mainly as a visual guide, then they are used to mark boundaries and guide traffic. If used as architectural elements, they tend to come in an extensive variety of styles and shapes so that they visually stand out or accentuate their environments. Bollards can be manufactured to protect property and people, and physically block vehicle incursion. These security posts can either be used to complement the landscape or have a decorative element, however, their main consideration is resistance to impact forces. They can be made from most materials you can think of – depending on what the function is. The most common materials used to make them include; cement, plastic, metal, and stone.
A Quick History Lesson
The first time the word “Bollard” appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary was in 1844, described as a post utilised to attach a maritime vessel’s mooring line. The etymology remains unclear; however, it was most likely derived from the word “bole,” which means tree trunk. As time has passed the term expanded to include posts used to guide vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Even though the word bollard is only 200 years old, they have been present for 1000’s years, some of the oldest surviving examples date back to the roman empire, where it was common to use carved stone posts for tethering in front of buildings as well as milestones alongside the road.
Bollards tend to enhance or reflect the setting they are in. Various traditional styles were influenced by 17th and 18th-century installations, this is when it became common practice to utilise decommissioned cannon barrels by half-burying them. Cannon bollards came in handy as wharves for mirroring, and inland was adapted to direct traffic and protect stonework. Sometimes cannons were buried with their muzzle facing upwards, and a cannonball that was too large was often used to seal the cannon against debris and water, which creates a distinctive rounded top. The various shapes of these old cannons still have influence today.
Although bollards are still used on the wharf, nowadays the majority are used for safety and traffic applications. Amsterdam residents at the beginning of the 1800s adopted this trend early on as their streets were quite narrow and had no yards or curbs. Property owners established decorative cast iron posts in front of their businesses and houses to prevent any damage occurring from increasing carriage traffic. Amsterdam eventually followed suit by installing cast iron posts called Amsterdammertje; this was done to delineate pedestrian areas. Even though most cities now, including Amsterdam, utilise curbed roadways as a way of separating traffic, bollards are still used as a way to characterise different areas in the modern cityscape.
Over time vehicles became heavier and more highly powered compared to earlier carriages, design and installation of these posts have adapted in response. There are different types of bollards which serve different purposes. Flexible bollards also referred to as rebounding posts, which are typically made from materials like flexible plastic or polyurethane and were designed to deflect or bend when struck by a car. Often, they are used in areas where parking delineation or low-speed traffic is needed, as they are not intended to provide impact resistance or significant security. These types of bollards are often used in areas like bike lanes, and parking lots, as well as other areas where cars might need to cross over into a bicycle or pedestrian area.
Security bollards were created to resist impact and provide a physical barrier to protect pedestrian and building zones from vehicle attacks. Security posts are often built from materials such as concrete or steel and were created to slow down or stop a vehicle which is travelling at a high speed. They can be utilised in areas that are at high risk of car-based attacks, like busy pedestrian areas or government buildings.
Assault-resistant bollards, believe it or not, are an even more heavy-duty version of security bollards, created to withstand many waves of car attacks. Often, they are utilised in high-security areas where the risk of a terrorist attack occurring is high, like attacks on embassies or government buildings. It is important to pick the correct type of bollard for the intended purpose, considering other factors like the level of security required, the chances of a car-based attack, and the level of traffic in a certain area.
Bollard Applications
Bollards have become prevalent in our modern landscape. Architects and planners use bollards to manage both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, enhance architecture and landscape, protect and secure people and buildings, aluminate pedestrian pathways, as well as provide parking areas for bikes. Some facility managers are even bringing them into indoor areas like a warehouse, factories for asset protection, and big-box retail.
Pedestrian Bollards
In a lot of properties and landscapes, decorative bollards tend to be used as a way to define distinct pedestrian areas. If you see a line of them this usually means that they are defining the perimeter and adding an architectural flair. Perimeters can be added around parks or playgrounds to allow for easy access, however, discouraging its use as a throughway. When bollards are linked with a chain, they can encourage people to remain on marked paths, without creating a closed barrier where people can not cross through. Some bollards come in a lighted version where they can illuminate pathways at night. Lately, solar-powered lighting has become a popular way to light bollards because each unit can function on its own and as a result, they require very little maintenance.
Street Or Traffic Line Bollards
Traffic bollards are utilised to help guide traffic toward appropriate areas while allowing pedestrian access and establishing clear sight lines. They help guide cars by making roadway demarcation or preventing access to restricted areas like public squares, traffic islands, and bike lanes. On roadways that do not have curbs, bollards can be utilised to prevent cars from straying off the road. At times they can be used in combination with other traffic calming methods, such as one-way roads or speed bumps, this is done to prevent any cars from attempting to avoid traffic management elements. Architectural bollards like these are often used in public spaces.
Security Bollards
Security bollards can also act as visual guides to traffic and pedestrians, although they are built to resist the impact of cars. These types of bollards are often made from filled concrete or steel, but they can be decorated with a cover or fine finish. Generally speaking, the installation and local substrate are important parts of impact resistance: if a strong bollard is set poorly it will not offer enough resistance. Thus, engineering oversight is essential. Various applications will also have various impact resistance requirements.
Protecting Vulnerable Buildings Components
Safety bollards tend to be installed in front of vulnerable building components to decrease the chances of damage occurring in the event of an accident. Usually, they are not designed with the idea that there will be a purposeful attack against them, for this reason, they are often specified with recommended diameters of pipes made from steel to be filled with concrete. In some areas, water meters or vulnerable gas are mandatory to have security bollards in bright colours installed as barrier posts all around them. They also tend to be placed in front of historical or vulnerable architectural features near traffic to protect them from accidents. They are not utilised in areas that are known to experience attacks.
Protecting Pedestrians
Playground areas close to parking areas, parks next to sharp bends in the road, and outdoor patios close to busy roadways: these are some areas where security bollards may be useful in preventing an accident from becoming a disaster. Concrete and steel are available in many different widths that should be matched to the distance of the pedestrian zone to roadway and car speeds. They are often covered with sleeves to protect against corrosion and for attractiveness.
Bicycle Parking
Bollards created for bicycles draw inspiration from the traditional mooring function of these posts, which provide a safe place for short-term bike lock-up. Often, they have a post-and-arm structure, where two bike-locking-arms circle the central post, specifically made to allow chains or u-locks. Bike bollards serve two purposes for businesses and organisations that install them. Like other traffic guides they help pedestrian and car management, however, they tend to attract cycling customers, decrease the damage and obstruction that comes with improperly parked bikes, and encourage sustainability.
Asset Protection
Assets protection bollards are defined as devices that are utilised for indoor applications to protect personnel and retail property. Generally, they are created from composite plastic or stainless steel. Their common uses include; securing warehouse racks, retail shelving, ATMs, and refrigeration units. They work well to warn customers or personnel of possible danger. Asset protection posts typically are only installed with anchor bolts and thus do not provide high-level impact resistance. They are created at most to protect merchandise from dollies, hand-powered cleaning equipment, and carts.
Ram-Raid Applications
Ram-raiding is also known as a version of “smash-and-grab” robbery whereby a heavy car is driven through the doors or windows of closed shops so that the attackers can loot a lot of high-value items in a short amount of time. Security bollards can be used as an affordable way for these areas to prevent the chance of a ram-raid from occurring.
About StreetScape
StreetScape is a South African landscaping element manufacturer that produces quality landscaping components to make urban areas more inviting, beautiful, and — most importantly, functional. Whether you are looking to make your home more inviting and aesthetically pleasing or you are a business that needs to create bike parking areas, StreetScape has all the landscaping tools to assist you in any way that you need. We are the leading supplier of seating, aggregate paving, bins, bollards, and more. We ensure the longevity, durability, and quality of all our products. As such, if you need assistance or tools for creating for example bollards visit your nearest StreetScape today.