myGeobrugg
Systems
Special Solutions
System length
18 m
Year of installation
2024
Initial situation
On-site, a chalk cliff face had begun, causing a rockfall hazard to the residential buildings and car parking area beneath the rock face.
Small amounts of debris had fallen from the cliff face, impacting and overtaking the existing green palisade fence on-site.
Due to the ownership of the area above the cliff and the cliff itself, no work could be done directly on the cliff face. However, the hazard to the properties below still remained.
RSK Geosciences acted as the designer for the rockfall hazard assessment and mitigation on the project.
Description
Geobrugg worked closely with RSK to understand the rockfall risk present on site. After establishing the expected low energy capacity of the rockfall (5 kJ) and the expected small debris size, an alternative solution was needed for a standard rockfall barrier. It was also determined multiple rockfall events were a possibility.
One issue was that the projected rockfall height, although low energy, was expected to be around 5 metres, leaving the site needing a lightweight fence that is low energy but also appropriately high.
For this solution, Geobrugg adapted its debris fence with permanent foundations. The mesh type was changed to lightweight, low-aperture TECCO G45/2 to provide the appropriate energy capacity for rockfall on site and the ability to stop smaller rockfall.
An additional adjustment of the fence was required. Due to the expected rockfall height, the crank arm of the debris fence was extended from 0.3 to 1.5 metres, giving a total fence height of 5.2 metres.
CAN Geotechnical as a contractor installed the solution. They worked in difficult site conditions, with restricted access and limited lifting ability due to existing buildings.
Country/Region
United Kingdom
Customer
Engineering
Contractor
Protected object
Residential area
Corrosion protection
GEOBRUGG SUPERCOATING
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