barrier
Objects whose purpose is to form a screen or shield between one area and another.
Barriers are usages assigned to objects whose purpose is to protect or shield one area from forces, things, phenomena, persons, animals, agents, or substances on the other side, or to block or filter information from passing from one side to another. Barriers can have a unidirectional or bidirectional purpose: that is, their intended effect can be to block something coming from one or both sides.
The barrier separates the two sides with respect to a particular influence or passage. Its purpose can concern physical movement, environmental effects, or transmission of information.
The intended effect can operate in one direction or both. A barrier therefore does not have to block every kind of movement or influence equally from each side.
More specific definitions
8 sub-definitions-
aesthetic screen
A barrier intended to improve or preserve views through concealment or through the appearance of the barrier itself. -
border control
An artificial barrier which seals or secures a boundary by preventing unwanted crossings. -
earth retention
A barrier which holds earth, sand, or rock in place by stabilizing it or blocking it from the other side. -
fortification
A barrier used for military or defensive purposes, to secure the inner side from enemy attack. -
privacy barrier
A wall, fence, planting, or other barrier intended to prevent views across it in one or both directions. -
sound absorption
A barrier used to prevent or minimize passage of sounds from one side to the other. -
water retention
A barrier used to prevent water from crossing or overflowing onto the other side. -
wave absorption
A barrier sheltering a harbor or land area from disturbing water waves, including effects that cause wetting or erosion.
Related definitions
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amenity
Practical objects whose function is to improve the livability or usability of an area, another object, or a public realm. -
control point
A point in a transport network for checking or guiding travelers and vehicles, collecting fees, or requiring identification. -
node
A point in a transportation route or network where travelers or vehicles can enter the system or change route. -
pathway
A site, route, or route section carrying vehicle, animal, or foot traffic within a transportation network.