Item: DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE ROCKFALL BARRIERS UNDER STATIC AND DYNAMIC AREAL LOADING FROM SNOW
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Title: DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE ROCKFALL BARRIERS UNDER STATIC AND DYNAMIC AREAL LOADING FROM SNOW
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- Dennis Gasteiger [ Geobru gg AG, Aachstrasse 11, Romanshorn, Switzerland ]
- Maximilian Kramer [ Geobru gg AG, Aachstrasse 11, Romanshorn, Switzerland ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: Flexible rockfall barriers are primarily designed to absorb high-energy point impacts caused by falling rocks. However, when installed in mountainous environments, they are exposed to a range of additional hazards that result in different loading conditions. Therefore, gravitational mass movements other than rockfall must be considered during the planning and design of such systems. The most critical dynamic loads arise from shallow landslides and avalanches. In addition, at higher altitudes and latitudes, static snow loading must also be considered. In contrast to rockfall impacts, these loads act over an area rather than at a single point, representing a fundamentally different loading scenario for which the systems are not originally designed. If these real loading conditions are not adequately considered, they may lead to damage of individual components or, in the worst case, complete failure of the barrier. The objective of this study was to develop a calculation method for flexible rockfall barriers that are subjected to static and dynamic areal loading. To achieve this, field measurements of static and dynamic snow loads on existing barriers were conducted. These data, combined with the mechanical properties of ring nets, the fundamentals of rope statics, and principles of snow and avalanche mechanics, form the basis for modelling areal loading scenarios on flexible structures. During field measurements, key parameters, including barrier deformation and the loading of individual components under static and dynamic areal loads, were recorded to calibrate and validate the developed calculation method. By validating the system behaviour of rockfall barriers under snow areal loading, this calculation method can also be extended to other types of areal loading, for example, for the analysis of shallow landslide events. The final calculation approach integrates Excel-based workflows with structural analysis in RSTAB and is fully parametric, enabling efficient adaptation to a wide range of environmental and loading conditions in practical applications.
Object ID: ISSW2026_P1.8.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790098890
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Maximilian Kramer
Keywords: flexible rockfall barriers, snow loads, avalanche loads, rope statics, structural analysis, multi-hazard protection
Page Number(s): 124 - 128
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