Jersey barrier dimensions: which size your UAE job actually needs
Jersey barrier dimensions in the UAE: the standard profile is 810mm tall in C40/50, with 1m, 2m and 3m lengths. Here's which length to order for your job.
“Send me some jersey barriers.” That’s the whole brief, sometimes. A quantity, a delivery date, and not one dimension. The problem shows up when the trailer arrives: 3m units for a footpath closure where only a 1m barrier was ever going to sit on the kerb, or a mixed load nobody can line up because half the run is one length and half is another.
A jersey barrier is not one size. The profile is standard, but the length is a choice, and that choice decides how fast your crew sets the run and whether it fits the space at all. So here’s the standard dimensions, why the profile is shaped the way it is, and which length to order for the job in front of you.
What are the standard dimensions of a jersey barrier?
A standard precast jersey barrier in the UAE is 810mm tall, roughly 600mm wide at the base, and comes in 1m, 2m, and 3m lengths. It’s cast in C40/50 (50 MPa) concrete and weighs between about 1,600kg and 2,400kg depending on the length.
The profile is the part that never changes: narrow at the top, flaring out to a wide base. Order a 1m unit or a 3m unit and you get the same cross-section, just more or less of it. What you’re really choosing when you order is length, and everything else about the barrier follows the shape below.
Why is a jersey barrier shaped like that?
The sloped face is there to redirect a vehicle, not stop it dead. When a car clips the barrier at a shallow angle, the lower slope meets the tyre first and steers the wheel up and back, nudging the vehicle along the line instead of snagging it and spinning it. The 810mm height and the low centre of mass from that 600mm base are what let a free-standing concrete unit absorb the hit and stay put without a footing cast under it.
That geometry is not arbitrary. Concrete road restraint sits under BS EN 1317, the European standard for containment and impact performance that UAE road authorities align their barrier requirements to. The shape you see on every jersey unit is the profile that passes those containment tests. It’s also why swapping the profile to save a few dirhams is a decision for the traffic management plan, not the buyer.
Which jersey barrier length should you order?
Match the length to the space and the run. Longer units mean fewer joints and a faster set; shorter units flex around curves and drop into tight spots a 3m barrier can’t reach.
| Length | Best for | Barriers per 100m | Handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1m | Tight footpaths, pedestrian gaps, curved alignments | ~100 | Lightest unit, easiest to place in confined space |
| 2m | Urban lane closures, medium diversions | ~50 | Standard Hiab or crane set |
| 3m | Highway diversions, long straight runs | ~34 | Fewest joints, needs full crane reach |
Fewer joints on a straight run is worth having. Every joint is a place the line can step out of true, and a connection your crew has to pin. On a 300m highway diversion, 3m units give you around 100 joints instead of 300. Put those same 3m units on a tight roundabout diversion, though, and you can’t follow the curve: the run goes faceted, with gaps at every angle change. That’s exactly where the 1m unit earns its keep.
Most real jobs order a mix. The 3m units run the straights, and 1m and 2m units close the ends and take the curves. If you’re turning a diversion drawing into an actual order, our guide to how many barriers a diversion needs walks the count through length by length so you don’t stand a crane crew down ten units short at the taper.
How much does each length weigh, and why does it matter?
A jersey barrier weighs from about 1,600kg to 2,400kg depending on length, with the 3m unit sitting near the top of that band. The mass is the whole reason the barrier works: it’s what keeps the unit where you set it when a vehicle hits it. It’s also the line item people forget to price. Every barrier has to come off the truck and onto the ground by machine, so your offloading and craneage cost scales with the length mix and the count, not just the unit price.
The connection between units matters as much as the mass. A run of barriers pinned or linked together behaves as one length and holds the line far better than loose units sitting side by side. We cover the connection and anchoring detail on its own, because getting the joints right is what separates a barrier line that holds from a row of heavy blocks.
Is a jersey barrier the same size as a K-rail?
Close, with one difference that matters. Both stand at a similar height, around 810mm, but the K-rail uses the straighter California profile and a slightly different base geometry. On most drawings you can size the space the same way for either. The real choice between them is about the profile and which standard your project works to, not the footprint on the ground. If that’s the decision in front of you, the jersey vs K-rail vs F-type comparison is the better read; for dimensions alone, treat the two as the same footprint.
Where our barriers fit
We hold precast jersey barriers in 1m, 2m, and 3m lengths, cast in C40/50 with cast-in lifting points and pin connections, in grey or safety-yellow with reflective strips for event and high-visibility work. Standard units are held in stock with a typical 2 to 5 day lead time, so a diversion approved this week can be on site the same week. Send us the length mix and we price the supply of jersey and K-rail barriers with delivery and offloading in the same quote, so the number you approve is the number that lands.
Frequently asked questions
What are the standard dimensions of a jersey barrier?
A standard precast jersey barrier in the UAE is about 810mm tall and roughly 600mm wide at the base, cast in C40/50 (50 MPa) concrete. It comes in 1m, 2m, and 3m lengths and weighs between about 1,600kg and 2,400kg depending on the length.
How tall is a jersey barrier?
The standard height is 810mm. That height, combined with the wide sloped base, is what lets a free-standing concrete barrier redirect a vehicle without a cast footing under it.
What lengths do jersey barriers come in?
The common UAE lengths are 1m, 2m, and 3m. The 1m unit suits tight footpaths and curves, the 2m unit suits urban lane closures, and the 3m unit is the workhorse for long straight highway diversions where fewer joints speed up the set.
How much does a jersey barrier weigh?
A precast jersey barrier weighs roughly 1,600kg to 2,400kg depending on length. That mass is what holds it in place on impact, and it’s also why every unit has to be lifted and set by machine rather than by hand.
Is a jersey barrier the same size as a K-rail?
They stand at a similar height, around 810mm, but the K-rail uses the straighter California profile and a slightly different base. For most drawings you can size the space the same way; the choice between them is about the profile and the standard, not the footprint.
Nine times out of ten, 'send jersey barriers' means the standard profile: 810mm tall, C40/50 concrete. The only real decision is length. Get the 1m, 2m and 3m mix right and your crew places the run in one clean pass instead of three.
Tell us the run, we’ll size the order
Give us the run length, the tightest curve on the job, and the delivery emirate, and we’ll work out the length mix and price supply, delivery, and offloading together. Send us the details and we’ll turn your diversion drawing into a barrier order that arrives ready to set.
