ABSTRACT
The design of high energy rockfall barriers is traditionally carried out through trajectory simulations along the slope. The simplest way of designing these structures is comparing the energy level derived from these simulations with the results of the real scale tests according to the European Guideline Document 340059-00-0106 (which substitutes the previous ETAG 27-2008). This EAD is the harmonized document that defines how to test dynamic rockfall barriers and obtain their features (energy, residual height, deformation) in Maximum Energy Level (MEL) and Service Energy Level (SEL). Even though this guideline allows to compare in a reliable way the different barriers, this design procedure has limitations and doesn’t consider how the real impact and installation conditions affect the barrier performance. In this paper, we give an overview of the contents of the EAD, and we show a design approach based on the Italian norm UNI 11211:2012, the mentioned EAD and the extensive experience of Maccaferri. Lastly, we will highlight the state of the art related to the foundation design.
