Guardrail Cleaning Vehicle: Specialized sanitation equipment for efficient cleaning of road guardrails

I. Core Definition of Guardrail Cleaning Vehicle A guardrail cleaning vehicle is a specialized sanitation vehicle whose core function is "dust removal, dirt removal, and polishing of road guardrails (including central median guardrails and pedestrian guardrails)." Its core components include a vehicle chassis, a hydraulically driven cleaning system (brush rollers/high-pressure water guns), a wastewater recovery device, an electrical control system, and a protective buffer mechanism. The rated load capacity ranges from 1 to 5 tons, and it is compatible with guardrail heights of 600 to 1200 mm (adjustable), with a cleaning width of 300 to 500 mm per side. Its core value lies in "high-efficiency targeted cleaning + environmentally friendly pollution prevention + safe guardrail protection." Through the coordinated operation of mechanical brush rollers and high-pressure water jets, it achieves one-time removal of pollutants such as dust, oil, and insect stains from the guardrail surface (cleaning coverage ≥98%), while simultaneously recovering the cleaning wastewater to prevent road surface pollution. It is a key piece of equipment connecting urban road and highway maintenance with sanitation cleaning, adapting to the needs of "mechanized and refined" road maintenance. II. Development History The industrial development of guardrail cleaning vehicles began in the 1980s. Addressing the pain points of manual cleaning of highway guardrails—characterized by low efficiency, high risk, and incomplete cleaning—European and American countries introduced the first generation of mechanical brush roller guardrail cleaning vehicles, which achieved basic dust removal through a single-sided brush roller. In the 1990s, upgrades in high-pressure water jet technology and wastewater recycling systems spurred industry innovation. The cleaning mode evolved from "simple dry brushing" to an integrated design of "high-pressure water washing + wastewater recycling," solving the problem of wastewater flowing across the road and polluting the surface. Simultaneously, German and Japanese companies developed dual-sided cleaning mechanisms and buffer protection devices, improving operational efficiency and guardrail protection capabilities. China achieved a breakthrough in domestic production in the early 21st century (e.g., Zoomlion and Fulongma's first 2-ton guardrail cleaning vehicle). In the 2010s, with the expansion of the highway network and the increasing demand for refined urban road maintenance, the industry entered a period of rapid development, with companies such as Chengli Automobile and JAC Motors gradually achieving large-scale production. In recent years, driven by the "green maintenance + intelligent sanitation" strategy, the company has made breakthroughs in core technologies such as new energy chassis (pure electric and hybrid), intelligent obstacle avoidance, and automatic adjustment of cleaning pressure. Its products are widely used in highway and urban main road maintenance scenarios. China has become the world's largest producer and consumer, and its products are exported to more than 20 countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and other regions. III. Core Characteristics Analysis

(I) Core Functional Characteristics

The core advantages of the guardrail cleaning vehicle are reflected in "high-efficiency cleaning + dual protection of environmental protection and safety": In terms of cleaning efficiency, it adopts a collaborative process of "mechanical friction of brush rollers + high-pressure water jet impact", with an operating speed of 5~15km/h and a daily cleaning mileage of 200~300km, which is 30~50 times more efficient than manual cleaning, and the cleaning coverage rate is ≥98%, with no obvious stains remaining; In terms of environmental protection and pollution prevention, it is equipped with a sewage recovery tank, vacuum suction device and filtration system, with a sewage recovery rate of ≥95%, avoiding secondary pollution caused by cleaning sewage flowing into the road surface or green belt, which meets the environmental protection standard of GB/T 25979-2010 "Road Sweeper"; In terms of safety protection, the cleaning mechanism is equipped with an elastic buffer device (buffer stroke ≥50mm), and the brush roller is made of soft wear-resistant materials (such as nylon filament + Made of rubber composite material, the pressure of the rubber strip in contact with the guardrail during operation is ≤0.3MPa, which can effectively avoid damage to the guardrail such as scratches and deformation. At the same time, the whole vehicle is equipped with work warning lights and reversing camera to ensure road operation safety. (II) Structural and Performance Characteristics The vehicle adopts an integrated design of "light truck/micro truck chassis + dual-side cleaning mechanism + sewage recycling system". The chassis is mostly a special sanitation light truck chassis (such as Foton Aoling, Dongfeng Dolica, JAC Shuailing), with a load capacity of 1~5 tons (including clean water, sewage, and the weight of the cleaning equipment). The maximum speed can reach 90km/h, meeting the needs of cross-regional operation and relocation. The core of the cleaning system is an adjustable brush roller (2~4 sets/single side) and a high-pressure water gun (working pressure 10~20MPa). The brush roller speed can be steplessly adjusted from 0~600r/min to adapt to guardrails with different levels of pollution. The sewage recycling system consists of a sewage pump, a filter box, and a sewage storage tank. The sewage storage tank has a volume of 3~8 cubic meters and supports one-button sewage discharge. The safety protection system is complete, equipped with a guardrail distance sensor (distance measurement accuracy ±5mm), an automatic obstacle avoidance device, and an emergency stop button. The operation safety factor is ≥1.6. (III) Scene Adaptability Characteristics It can be adapted to diverse scenes through functional and parameter differentiation: Urban Main Road Type (2~3 tons) is suitable for cleaning the central median guardrail and sidewalk guardrail of municipal roads, with moderate brush roller speed, suitable for frequent start-stop operations; Highway Type (3~5 tons) is equipped with a high-power high-pressure pump and a large-capacity clean water/sewage tank, with an operating speed of 8~15km/h, suitable for long-distance continuous cleaning; Tunnel-specific Type is equipped with a low-noise cleaning mechanism (operating noise ≤70dB) and explosion-proof lighting device, suitable for operation in the enclosed environment of tunnels; Rural Road Type (1~2 tons) is compact in size (turning radius ≤5.2 meters), suitable for narrow guardrails and unpaved road surface transfers; Special Climate Type (Ice and Snow Removal Type) is equipped with heated high-pressure water and de-icing brush rollers, suitable for ice and snow removal of guardrails in northern winters. IV. Mainstream Production Processes

(I) Core Production Process (Mainstream Process)
The production of guardrail cleaning vehicles is based on "cleaning system integration + protective structure manufacturing". Key processes include: 1) Chassis selection and modification: Selecting a light truck/micro truck chassis according to operational needs, reinforcing the frame, installing the hydraulic oil tank, adapting the power take-off (connecting the engine or electric motor power), and adding an operational warning device; 2) Cleaning and recycling system manufacturing: The brush rollers are made of nylon filaments and rubber strips woven and vulcanized; the cleaning bracket is CNC cut and bent, and robotically welded (weld pass rate ≥99.6%); the sewage recycling tank and the sewage storage tank are welded with stainless steel plates and undergo a leak-proof test (water storage test ≥12). 3) Hydraulic and electrical control system assembly: Install core components such as high-pressure water pumps, hydraulic motors, and multi-way valves; connect hydraulic pipelines and electrical control circuits; and debug the coordinated actions of the cleaning mechanism lifting, brush roller speed, and sewage pump start/stop. 4) Complete machine assembly and debugging: Conduct load cleaning tests (simulating guardrails with different levels of pollution), sewage recovery efficiency tests, and safety protection performance tests. Finally, it passes GB/T 25979-2010 and sanitation equipment special certification before leaving the factory. This process is suitable for small and medium-sized batch production, and the production cycle for conventional models is about 15 to 25 days. (II) Technological Upgrading Directions With the increasing sophistication of road maintenance and the upgrading of "dual-carbon" requirements, the industry is accelerating technological innovation: First, lightweight manufacturing, using high-strength aluminum alloy to produce cleaning brackets and wastewater storage tanks, reducing vehicle weight by 10%~15% and fuel/electricity consumption by 7%~11%; Second, intelligent upgrading, integrating automatic guardrail recognition and positioning, automatic adjustment of cleaning pressure (according to the degree of pollution), operation trajectory tracking, and remote fault diagnosis systems, with some high-end models achieving L1 level assisted operation (automatically maintaining distance from guardrails); Third, new energy transformation, developing pure electric (range 100~200km) and hybrid (oil-electric) chassis models, with pure electric models equipped with fast charging technology (fully charged in 1~2.5 hours), suitable for zero-emission operations in cities; Fourth, environmental protection process upgrading, adopting water-based paint spraying and welding fume purification systems, reducing pollutant emissions during production by more than 60%, and upgrading the wastewater filtration system to multi-stage filtration (recyclable clean water for reuse, water saving rate ≥30%). (III) Core Component Manufacturing Process Key component technologies become core competitiveness: 1) Cleaning brush roller: Adopts a composite weaving process of "nylon filaments + wear-resistant rubber strips", filament diameter 0.3~0.5mm, elastic recovery rate ≥95%, service life ≥500 hours of operation; 2) Hydraulic cleaning system: High-pressure water pump adopts precision casting + CNC machining, pressure fluctuation ≤±3%, hydraulic motor and brush roller linkage accuracy ≤±10r/min; 3) Electrical control system: Develop a dedicated controller (ECU) with integrated operation safety interlock functions (such as automatic shutdown when deviating from the guardrail), response time ≤0.25 seconds, supporting manual/automatic dual-mode operation. V. Core Application Areas (I) Road Maintenance and Cleaning (Traditional Core Area) More than 85% of guardrail cleaning vehicles worldwide are used for routine road guardrail maintenance, making them core equipment for municipal and highway maintenance. In urban main road scenarios, small and medium-sized guardrail cleaning vehicles operate along fixed routes, regularly removing dust, advertising stickers, and insect stains from the guardrail surface to ensure a clean road landscape. In highway scenarios, large guardrail cleaning vehicles perform long-distance continuous cleaning, removing sludge from vehicle exhaust and road dust, improving the clarity of reflective markings on guardrails, and ensuring driving safety. In urban-rural fringe and rural road scenarios, small and flexible vehicles are adapted to narrow guardrails and complex road conditions, promoting the refinement of rural road maintenance. (II) Cleaning in Special Scenarios (Important Application Scenarios) In tunnel and bridge scenarios, specialized low-noise guardrail cleaning vehicles remove oil fumes and dust from the inner walls of tunnel guardrails, preventing the spread of pollution. The protective mechanisms are also adapted to the unique shapes of bridge guardrails. In scenic areas and resorts, new energy guardrail cleaning vehicles achieve zero emissions and low-noise operation, with no wastewater pollution to scenic roads and vegetation during the cleaning process, balancing environmental protection and aesthetics. In industrial parks, corrosion-resistant guardrail cleaning vehicles are suitable for guardrails around chemical industrial parks and steel plants, removing corrosive dust and oil stains and extending the service life of the guardrails. In large-scale event support scenarios (such as marathons and exhibitions), guardrail cleaning vehicles are temporarily deployed to quickly clean guardrails along event routes, enhancing the city's image. (III) Emergency and Specialty Fields (Growth Pole) In the field of emergency support, guardrails are quickly cleaned after rainstorms, sandstorms, and snow disasters to restore road safety and aesthetics; in the context of epidemic prevention and control, specialized guardrail cleaning vehicles equipped with disinfectant spray devices achieve integrated "cleaning + disinfection" operations, covering guardrails around hospitals and in quarantine areas; in military bases and port terminals, specialized off-road guardrail cleaning vehicles are adapted to unpaved roads for cleaning protective guardrails in military management areas and port terminals; in the northern winter scenario, de-icing guardrail cleaning vehicles quickly remove ice and snow from guardrail surfaces using heated high-pressure water and de-icing rollers to ensure safe road traffic in winter. VI. Market Development Trends (I) Steady Growth in Demand, Significant Upgrades in High-End and Intelligent Features In 2024, China's guardrail cleaning vehicle production capacity was approximately 35,000 units, accounting for 82% of the global market, with a market size exceeding 6.5 billion yuan. The average annual compound growth rate is expected to remain between 7.8% and 9.3% over the next five years. Among them, the demand for new energy (pure electric, hybrid), intelligent, and multi-functional special-purpose vehicles is growing the fastest, with its share increasing from 25% in 2024 to over 48% in 2029. Currently, the import dependence of core components for high-end models (such as high-precision pressure sensors and imported high-pressure water pumps) is about 16%, mainly relying on imports from Germany and Japan. Refined road maintenance policies, highway network expansion, and urban sanitation upgrades are the core driving forces of demand. (II) Concentrated Production Capacity and Regional Specialized Development Global production capacity for guardrail cleaning vehicles is mainly concentrated in China (Zoomlion, Fulongma, Chengli Automobile, Foton Motor), Germany (Kärcher), and Japan (Isuzu), while domestic production capacity is mainly distributed in industrial clusters such as Suizhou (the capital of special-purpose vehicles) in Hubei, Jining in Shandong, Hefei in Anhui, and Foshan in Guangdong. Industry concentration continues to increase, with the top ten companies accounting for 57.4% of the total production capacity. Leading companies are building competitive barriers through the integration of the "light truck chassis - cleaning system - core components" industrial chain, while small and medium-sized enterprises are focusing on small models or niche special-purpose fields (such as tunnel-specific models and de-icing models). (III) Technological innovation drives green and intelligent development as the core direction. The "dual-carbon" strategy and the demand for refined road maintenance are driving industry transformation, with new energy and intelligence becoming core competitiveness. Policies require that the penetration rate of new energy in road maintenance equipment in first-tier cities reach 40% by 2025, forcing companies to increase the research and development of pure electric and hybrid models. In terms of intelligence, 5G + remote dispatch, AI pollution level recognition, and automatic cleaning path planning technologies are gradually becoming popular, and it is expected that the proportion of intelligent products will exceed 42% by 2027. In the medium and long term, the integration of cleaning functions (cleaning + disinfection + de-icing), unmanned operation processes, cleaner energy forms, and diversified application scenarios will reshape the industry landscape. (IV) Price Fluctuations and Strategic Layout The price of guardrail cleaning vehicles is affected by multiple factors: upstream raw materials (high-strength steel plates saw an average price increase of 12% in 2024, and lithium batteries increased by 8%), light truck chassis (accounting for 32%~38% of costs), and high-pressure hydraulic components—price fluctuations directly impact production costs; downstream municipal maintenance procurement budgets, highway maintenance investment, and the marketization progress of urban sanitation influence demand; environmental policies (National VI emission standards), new energy subsidy policies, and special vehicle access standards affect the supply structure. Due to its irreplaceable role in road guardrail cleaning, guardrail cleaning vehicles have become an important sub-segment of the sanitation equipment industry. Companies are strengthening the R&D of core components such as high-pressure water pumps and intelligent sensors (e.g., Fulongma's independently developed multi-functional integrated cleaning system), new energy technology layout, and expansion into lower-tier markets. Simultaneously, they are developing integrated solutions combining "vehicles + maintenance services + parts replacement" to enhance their bargaining power in the industry chain.