Among road safety facilities, Load capacity (the ability to bear weight) is one of the most crucial technical indicators for choosing solar LED raised pavement marker. The markers need to withstand long-term vehicle pressure, heavy truck loads, and environmental impacts, which is the foundation for ensuring the continuity and safety of road guidance. If the load capacity is insufficient, it will not only cause the marker shell to crack and the LED light module to be damaged, but also leave serious road safety hazards and increase the maintenance cost in the future.
Industry data shows that the load capacity of ordinary solar road markers usually ranges from 15 to 40 tons, while heavy engineering models can reach over 60 to 90 tons. When selecting, it is necessary to precisely match the model according to the specific scenario.
Load capacity can be simply described as the maximum vehicle pressure that solar road studs can withstand without deforming or being damaged. This indicator directly determines the durability of the nails in different traffic scenarios and is the core basis for engineering selection.
In the industry, the load-bearing capacity of road studs is mainly verified through two core tests to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data：
Simulates the pressure exerted by a stationary vehicle on the nail, testing the nail's resistance to compression.
Simulates the rolling impact of a vehicle on the nail, replicating the actual road usage scenario.
Among the current mainstream load testing standards for road studs, the ASTM D4280 test is the most commonly used. It clearly stipulates：For some road projects (such as urban arterial roads), the requirement for the nail's load-bearing capacity is ≥ 25，000 kg (25 tons), ensuring it can handle the passage of daily heavy vehicles.
The load-bearing capacity of solar energy road studs is not a fixed value. Its core lies in the structural design of the product and the material of the casing. Different grades of road studs are suitable for different scenarios. They can be classified into the following four categories:
Core load-bearing capacity: ≥15 tons
Common application scenarios: Bike lanes, sidewalks, parking lots (areas without heavy vehicle traffic)
Data source: The mainstream PC material solar road studs on the market generally have a load-bearing capacity of over 15 tons, suitable for light traffic scenarios.
Core load-bearing capacity: 20–30 tons
Applicable scenarios: Urban roads, secondary roads, industrial parks (mainly for small cars and light trucks to pass through)
Industry case: Some basic aluminum alloy solar road studs, with a designed load-bearing capacity of over 20 tons, can meet the daily urban traffic needs.
Core load-bearing capacity: 30–40 tons
Applicable scenarios: Expressways, lane center lines, high-traffic roads (areas with frequent passage of heavy trucks)
Industry product specifications: Mid-to-high-end aluminum alloy solar road studs, with a general load-bearing capacity of over 30 tons, some high-end models can reach 40 tons, suitable for high-load scenarios such as expressways.
Core load-bearing capacity: 60–90 tons
Applicable scenarios: Airport runways, snow plow roads, dedicated passage areas for heavy trucks (extremely high-load scenarios)
Industry data: Some special engineering-grade road markings have a load-bearing capacity of up to 90 tons, capable of meeting requirements such as aircraft taxiing at airports and heavy engineering vehicle rolling.
Understanding the key factors that affect the load-bearing capacity of the road studs can help the engineering procurement party make precise selections, avoiding subsequent losses caused by improper selection.
The material of the casing of the road studs is the key factor determining its load-bearing capacity. The strength differences among various materials are significant. The specific load-bearing comparison is as shown in the following table:
|
Material Type |
Load-Bearing Capacity |
|
PC Plastic |
15T |
|
ABS Plastic |
15–20T |
|
Aluminum Alloy |
30–40T |
|
Stainless Steel |
60T+ |
Core conclusion: The stronger the material, the higher the load-bearing capacity of the road studs, and the longer its service life. Especially stainless steel and aluminum alloy materials are the preferred choices for heavy-duty scenarios.
Apart from the material, the internal structure design of the road studs also directly affects their compressive strength. Heavy-duty road studs usually adopt the following three designs:
Engineering suggestion: Professional-grade solar road studs should be able to withstand at least 30 tons of static load pressure to meet the requirements of mid-to-high-end road engineering.
The installation method will indirectly affect the firmness of the connection between the road studs and the road surface, thereby influencing the actual load-bearing capacity. There are three common installation methods:
The selection of the load-bearing capacity for solar LED protruding road studs is centered around meeting the specific usage requirements of the particular road scenarios. The traffic flow and types of vehicles on different roads vary significantly, and accordingly, the load-bearing capacity requirements for the road studs also differ. Reasonable matching can not only ensure road safety but also avoid waste in the selection process. The following will detail the specific requirements for the load-bearing capacity of road studs for each road type point by point:
The vehicles passing on the bicycle lane are mainly bicycles and electric bicycles. There are no heavy vehicles running over them, and the solar road studs bear relatively little pressure. Based on industry standards and practical application experience, the solar road studs selected for the bicycle lane should have a load-bearing capacity of ≥ 10T to meet the usage requirements. The PC plastic material lightweight solar road studs are preferred as they offer better cost-effectiveness and can also ensure the practicality of road guidance.
The parking lot mainly allows passage for small cars, SUVs and other light vehicles. Occasionally, light trucks may also enter. There is a basic requirement for the load-bearing capacity of the road studs. To prevent the road studs from being damaged due to vehicle rolling, the recommended load-bearing capacity of the special solar road studs for the parking lot should be ≥ 15T. It is recommended to choose ABS plastic or basic aluminum alloy materials for the road studs, which can not only withstand the daily vehicle rolling but also control the procurement cost, and are suitable for the high-frequency usage scenarios of the parking lot.
The traffic flow in the urban road is moderate. The vehicles passing through include small cars, light trucks, buses, etc. The frequency of vehicle crushing is high, which puts higher demands on the load-bearing capacity of the solar LED road markers. According to the standards for urban road engineering, the solar road studs selected for such scenarios should have a load-bearing capacity of ≥ 20T. The standard-grade aluminum alloy solar road studs are preferred, as they can effectively resist the crushing impact from various vehicles, ensuring the continuity and safety of road guidance.
Highways are characterized by high traffic volume and high load. Heavy trucks and large buses account for a large proportion of the passing vehicles, and the vehicle speed is very fast. The load-bearing capacity and durability of the road studs are extremely demanding. To cope with the frequent crushed by heavy vehicles, the load-bearing capacity of the dedicated solar road studs for highways must be ≥ 30T. It is recommended to use heavy-duty engineering-grade aluminum road studs. For sections with extremely high traffic volume, high-end models with a 40T load-bearing capacity can be selected to ensure the long-term stable operation of the road studs and reduce the maintenance costs in the future.
The areas such as airport runways and aprons need to withstand the rolling of aircraft and heavy airport vehicles, which constitute extremely high-load scenarios. The requirements for the load-bearing capacity of solar road studs are the most stringent in these situations. According to airport engineering standards, the solar road studs selected for such scenarios must have a load-bearing capacity of ≥ 60T. Stainless steel ultra-heavy-duty road studs are preferred, and for some special areas, custom-made road studs with a load-bearing capacity of 90T can be chosen to ensure that the road studs do not break or fail under extreme pressure.
The following is a summary table of the recommended standards for the load-bearing capacity of solar road studs for each type of road. The data are all in accordance with industry product specifications and road engineering standards, making it convenient for quick selection and reference:
|
Road Type |
Recommended Load-Bearing Capacity |
|
Bicycle Lane |
≥10T |
|
Parking Lot |
≥15T |
|
Urban Road |
≥20T |
|
Highway |
≥30T |
|
Airport |
≥60T |
Based on the actual requirements of the project, precise selection of the load-bearing capacity is necessary to ensure road safety while also controlling procurement and maintenance costs. The following are professional engineering selection suggestions:
The load-bearing requirements of the nails are directly related to the type of vehicles passing through: The higher the proportion of heavy trucks and engineering vehicles, the stronger the load-bearing capacity of the nails selected should be.
For example, on roads where heavy trucks account for more than 30% of the traffic, it is recommended to directly select nails with a load-bearing capacity of 40T or more to avoid frequent damage.
Different installation locations of the nails bear different vehicle pressures. When selecting, it is necessary to distinguish specifically:
The load-bearing capacity of solar LED raised pavement marker directly determines its service life, road safety, and subsequent maintenance costs, and is the core indicator for engineering selection. In actual road engineering, a load-bearing capacity of over 30 tons is usually regarded as the engineering standard, which can meet the needs of most mid-to-high-end roads.
Among them, for highways or heavy traffic areas, it is recommended to choose solar pavement markers with a load-bearing capacity of 40 tons or more; for extreme scenarios such as airports and dedicated lanes for heavy trucks, ultra-heavy pavement markers with a load-bearing capacity of 60–90 tons should be selected to ensure long-term stable operation.
For solar LED protruding road studs, there is a clear division of their load-bearing range. The load-bearing capacity of regular products is generally between 15 tons and 40 tons, while high-end engineering-grade road studs can exceed 60 tons. Some special customized models can even reach a load-bearing limit of 90 tons. The specific value will vary depending on the product type of the road studs and the material of its casing.
The traffic volume on expressways is high, and heavy trucks frequently pass through. This places a high demand on the load-bearing capacity of solar road studs. Usually, these studs need to have a load-bearing capacity of no less than 30 tons. From the perspective of practical engineering applications, it is preferable to choose heavy aluminum alloy solar road studs with a load capacity of 30 to 40 tons, which can better withstand frequent rolling and ensure the durability of long-term use.
Solar road studs are exposed to the road environment for a long time and need to continuously withstand the rolling and impact from various vehicles. The strength of their load-bearing capacity directly affects their usage effect and safety. If the studs cannot bear the load adequately, problems such as shell damage and failure of the LED lighting components are likely to occur. This not only affects the continuity of road guidance but also poses potential safety hazards on the road surface. At the same time, it significantly increases the maintenance costs in the long run.
Among the commonly used solar road studs materials, aluminum alloy and stainless steel materials have the most outstanding load-bearing performance and are the preferred materials for high-load scenarios. Among them, the load-bearing capacity of stainless steel road studs can reach over 60 tons, while that of aluminum alloy road studs is between 30 and 40 tons. Both can well meet the usage requirements of heavy traffic scenarios.
