Rockfall Attenuator Systems: Kinetic Energy Dissipation and Guidance of Rockfalls

Cut and fill areas on traffic lines throughout the world are difficult to provide adequate protection against rockfall with traditional protection systems. Differing dramatically from standard rockfall barriers, rockfall attenuator systems are an innovative new technology that intercepts rockfall trajectory guiding it under a tail drape, its kinetic energy is then dissipated through net deformations and interaction with the slope. Rockfall can then be contained at the base of slope avoiding costly maintenance and clean out costs commonly associated with standard rockfall barriers. Till now the loading mechanisms and energy dissipation characteristics are largely unknown, this provides a unique opportunity to establish Geobrugg as a world leader in the design and production of rockfall attenuator systems. We plan to achieve this through a combination of full scale barrier testing, laboratory tests, case studies, and advanced numerical modelling.