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Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

Two filled barriers UX180-H6

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

The barrier was installed close to sensitive infrastructure; the A2 motorway viaduct in the background

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

UX-type barrier with support posts

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

VX barrier which is without posts

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

Just installed mudslide barrier

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

Because of the dry stone walls: a special UX barrier solution

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

Special meteorologic conditions lead to a massive landslide that was successfully held back by barriers

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

The barriers with extremely high load

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

According to the designer's data, the barriers must have the capacity to hold a pressure of at least 100 kilopascals / kN/m²

Debris Flow & Shallow Landslide Protection - Favazzina 2015

Bird's eye view: the landslide load is held back from the barrier

 

Year of installation

2015

Initial situation

The western side of Calabria, in southern Italy, is characterized by strongly altered orthogneiss outcrops, which give rise to fine and coarse sands. With heavy rainfalls, they are brought down to the valley and channeled into the famous "fiumare".

This phenomenon is particularly intense in the area of Favazzina, along the River Scirò. There it threatens the railway network, the national highway SS18, and the local road network.

Description

A series of Geobrugg barriers have been installed to limit the risk of debris flows . This deterrent system for debris flows was developed by Geobrugg with the Swiss research institute WSL in Birmensdorf, part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), following the field trials in Illgraben, Switzerland. Also check Illgraben on YouTube.

The system consists of 19 barriers of various types: UX180, UX100 and VX100 of varying height from 4 to 6 meters, for a total of 970 square meters. All Geobrugg barriers are CE marked.

The week after the installation of the first barriers, a debris flow occurred. It was completely held back by the highest situated barrier, and thus saved and protected the downstream site. Subsequent events have filled the other barriers. After  inspection, it was decided not to proceed with emptying in order not to trigger further landslide movements. The retained debris flow material stabilizes the banks of the channel and thus reduces the formation of further debris flow. Inspections also revealed the excellent condition of the post-event structure: no intervention on the barriers was necessary.  Only some anchorages were slightly damaged. The braking system showed no deterioration.

Customer

Regione Calabria

Engineering

Donatella Palma, Geoflum Engineering SrL

Contractor

Idrogeo Srl, Cosenza

Protected object

Road, Railway

Corrosion protection

GEOBRUGG SUPERCOATING

Your local contact

Kevin Coyle
 

Kevin Coyle

Regional Manager Northeast

Natural Hazards
Hydraulic Engineering
Geobrugg North America, LLC,3 Beaudet Terr,CT 06237 Columbia / United States Regional Manager Northeast

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Saleh Feidi
 

Saleh Feidi

Natural Hazards
Hydraulic Engineering
Geobrugg North America, LLC,8921 Emperor Ave.,91775 San Gabriel, California / United States

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John Kalejta
 

John Kalejta

Natural Hazards
Hydraulic Engineering
Geobrugg North America, LLC,KS 67226 Wichita / United States

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Bob Lyne
 

Bob Lyne

Natural Hazards
Hydraulic Engineering
Geobrugg North America, LLC,8004 Windspray Drive,NC 27358 Summerfield / United States

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Pierce Runnels, Civil Engineer
   

Pierce Runnels

General Manager Geobrugg North America

Natural Hazards
Geobrugg North America, LLC,22 Centro Algodones , Civil Engineer General Manager Geobrugg North America

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Tim Shevlin
 

Tim Shevlin

Natural Hazards
Geobrugg North America, LLC,OR 97302 Salem / United States

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