Road studs /cat's eyes, as key traffic signs, play a core role in guiding night vision and dividing lane boundaries. Common materials for solar road studs include plastic, glass, metal and ceramic. The usage rate of plastic solar road studs has been continuously rising in projects such as urban road renovation and the installation of temporary signs.
Why do urban managers prefer plastic materials? The answer lies in the remarkable economy, convenient construction and maintenance, and excellent weather resistance of plastic solar road studs. The characteristics of plastic solar road studs are perfectly adapted to the complex urban road conditions and budget constraints, making them the preferred choice for mass laying.
The cost advantage of plastic cat eye road studs runs through the entire life cycle. Taking a 1-kilometer urban secondary road (requiring 100 road studs) as an example:
|
Material Type |
Unit Price (USD/piece) |
Purchase Cost per Kilometer (USD) |
Installation Cost (USD) |
5-Year Maintenance Cost (USD) |
Total Cost (USD) |
|
Plastic (ABS) |
8–15 |
800–1500 |
300–500 |
200–400 |
1300–2400 |
|
Aluminum Alloy |
30–40 |
3000–4000 |
600–800 |
800–1200 |
4400–6000 |
|
Glass |
40–50 |
4000–5000 |
700–900 |
1500–2000 |
6200–7900 |
Throughout its entire life cycle, the total cost of plastic solar road studs is only 30% to 60% of that of metal materials. When purchasing in bulk, the unit price of plastic road studs can be as low as 8 US dollars, and there is no need to pay additional costs for anti-corrosion treatment.
Plastic solar road studs weigh only 150 to 300 grams each, which is over 60% lighter than aluminum alloy road studs. They can be manually moved without heavy equipment. When fixed with adhesive, a single person can complete one installation in one minute, which is five times more efficient than embedded metal cat's eyes.
On a daily basis, only monthly visual inspection is required. When the reflector fails or the casing is damaged, use a utility knife to remove the old glue and re-stick it to complete the replacement. The repair time for a single area does not exceed 5 minutes, significantly reducing the road occupation time.
Third-party salt spray corrosion tests show that plastic road studs show no corrosion marks in the simulated Marine environment, while aluminum alloy road studs develop corrosion spots within 72 hours and galvanized steel begins to rust within 48 hours.
This characteristic makes it an ideal choice for coastal cities and sections in the north where salt is spread to remove ice. According to feedback from the coastal city projects that have been put into use, the plastic road studs still maintain an intact rate of over 85% after five years in a high-humidity salt spray environment.
Plastic solar road studs can be produced in multiple colors such as red, yellow and white through injection molding, precisely matching different marking requirements such as lane edge lines and zebra crossings. The resilient material of plastic solar road studs will undergo elastic deformation rather than cracking under mild impact, avoiding the safety hazard of sharp fragments produced when glass road studs are broken.
High-quality plastic solar road studs are made of prism-type reflective plates, with a luminous intensity of over 200cd and a visible distance of more than 300 meters at night, fully meeting the requirements of urban road standards.
|
Comparison Item |
Plastic Road Studs |
Glass Road Studs |
|
Core Advantages |
Low cost, corrosion-resistant, easy to replace |
High pressure resistance (over 25 tons), excellent wear resistance |
|
Applicable Scenarios |
Secondary roads, parking lots, construction areas |
Expressways and heavy-duty lanes |
|
Performance in High-Risk Sections |
Suitable for light to medium traffic; minimal debris risk |
More prone to wear, breakage, and potential debris under heavy traffic, posing safety hazards |
|
Total 5-Year Cost (per kilometer) |
USD 1,300 – 2,400 |
USD 6,200 – 7,900 |
Although solar road studs made of metal have a compressive capacity of over 50 tons and are suitable for expressways, they have two major drawbacks: First, the initial cost is high, with the unit price being 3 to 4 times that of plastic. Second, installation requires slotting and embedding, with a construction period of up to three days per kilometer, and the traffic control cost increases by more than 2,000 US dollars.
Therefore, for medium and low traffic volume scenarios such as secondary roads and branch roads in cities, the cost-effectiveness ratio of plastic solar road studs is significantly better.
Give priority to ABS plastic road studs. This type of road section mainly features medium and low traffic volume. ABS plastic road studs not only meet the vehicle passage requirements but also save 60% of the total cost compared to metal road studs within a five-year period, which is in line with the budget control target for urban road maintenance.
Reflective plastic road studs are a more suitable choice. On the one hand, it can be customized in multiple colors through injection molding technology, which can clearly distinguish the boundaries of parking Spaces and passage channels, enhancing the recognizability of regional signs. On the other hand, even if there is local damage, the replacement cost of a single set as low as 8 to 15 US dollars can significantly reduce long-term maintenance expenses.
Movable plastic road studs should be selected. This type of road stud does not require fixed installation. It can be quickly laid out before construction to guide traffic and can be completely recycled after construction. A single investment can be reused more than 10 times, which not only reduces material waste but also shortens the site preparation time before and after construction.
Priority should be given to glass or aluminum alloy road studs with higher load-bearing capacity. The average daily traffic volume on expressways is large and the proportion of heavy-duty vehicles is high. The compressive strength of glass road studs can reach 50 tons, while aluminum alloy road studs have excellent wear resistance and can withstand frequent rolling for a long time, avoiding the impact of frequent replacement on traffic flow.
When using plastic solar road studs in conjunction with markings: the spacing should be 6 to 15 meters, and the color should be consistent with the markings (white road studs for solid white lines and yellow road studs for yellow border lines).
When plastic solar road studs are used as boundary lines alone: the spacing is 1-1.2 meters, and reflective and non-reflective plastic road studs are alternately arranged.
solar road studs are installed in curved areas: the spacing is shortened to 3-5 meters to enhance the visual guidance effect.
The installation of plastic solar road studs should prioritize the adhesive fixation method. The key points of construction include:
Use a high-pressure water gun to remove oil stains from the road surface. After drying, sand it rough with sandpaper.
Use epoxy resin adhesive. Construction should be carried out when the ambient temperature is above 5℃.
After pasting, set up a warning cone. Vehicles are prohibited from running over it within 2 hours.
TIPS: Bolt fixation is only recommended for low-speed scenarios such as parking lots, while the embedded type is suitable for areas at intersections where frequent rolling is required.
Once a month for ordinary sections and once a week for construction areas;
Reflective intensity less than 100cd, damaged area of the shell exceeding 20%, loose displacement exceeding 5mm;
Mark the failed position → Seal the single lane → Peel off the old part → Clean the base surface → stick the new part. The time for each part is no more than 5 minutes
A: On sections with medium and low traffic volume, the lifespan of high-quality ABS plastic road studs can reach 3 to 5 years, which is shorter than that of metal materials. However, the replacement cost for a single set is only 8 to 15 US dollars, and the total maintenance cost over 5 years is actually 40% lower than that of metal road studs.
A: The PC/ABS alloy material can withstand a temperature difference of -30 ℃ to 80℃, which is suitable for the climatic conditions of most regions. If it is in an extremely high-temperature area, a high-temperature resistant formula can be selected, with a deformation rate of less than 2%.
A: The compressive strength of the regular plastic solar road studs reaches 20 tons, capable of withstanding the pressure of small passenger cars and trucks. The enhanced version can reach up to 25 tons and is suitable for sections with medium traffic volume. Only the dedicated lanes for heavy-duty trucks need to be upgraded in material.
A: The plastic solar road studs with a sealed reflective cavity design have a waterproof rating of IP67. Rainwater will not seep into the reflective layer, and the visible distance at night can still be maintained at over 200 meters.
A: High-quality products are made of recyclable ABS material. After being discarded, they can be melted and remade, with a recycling rate of 90%. Moreover, the carbon emissions during the production process are 70% lower than those of aluminum alloy road studs.
A: If there is a lot of snow accumulation in your area during winter, you can choose plastic solar road studs with a panel inclination Angle of ≥15° to a limited extent. The snow can slide off naturally. Combined with manual cleaning once a week, the normal operation rate in winter can reach over 95%.
