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Test facility for rockfall protection measures

The WSL runs a test facility Lochezen in an old quarry in Walenstadt SG. The main installation (Fig. 1) is used for the type testing of new flexible protection barriers against rockfall according to the Swiss guidelines. Since the EU notification as accredited testing laboratory in 2010 also approval tests according to European guideline ETAG 027 are possible.

The test specimen with a maximum weight of 16'000 kg can be dropped from the specially designed crane from up to 63 m. Different load measurement systems record acting cable forces and reactions at post foundations at a sample rate of several kHz. The braking process is recorded using high speed video with up to 1000 frames per second.

Fig. 1: Rockfall test facility

Impact of single barrier components such as nets, ropes or brake elements

An additional 4 x 4m steel frame (Fig. 2) equipped with load cells at the supports allows the investigation of the bahaviour of single barrier components such as nets, ropes or brake elements.

Fig. 2: Test frame for component tests

Test facility for protection galleries

Finally, another special testing table is available to for tests on gallery structures or cushion layers (Fig. 3). The measured data are the support reactions strains within the concrete slab and the boulder movement (acceleration sensors and high speed video).

Fig. 3: Test facility for protection galleries

Analysis of the trajectory and the braking process

Artificial boulders equipped with acceleration sensors allow also a posterior back analysis of the trajectory and the braking process (Fig. 4) with a sample rate of 2 - 10'000.

Fig. 4: Artificial boulders with acceleration measurements

Partners

The facility is run together with the company Geobrugg AG. Geobrugg uses the installation also for development of new products.

Contact

• Axel Volkwein
  

• Werner Gerber
  

• Barbara Krummenacher