United States
United States

myGeobrugg

Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

One of the completed Rockfall Impact Attenuator Systems

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

Rockfall source high above the installed Rockfall Impact Attenuator System

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

Rockfall Impact Attenuator System post installation using crane

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

The hybrid drapery solution during construction

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

TECCO® G80/4 mesh panels connecting using seaming ropes

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

Another completed Rockfall Impact Attenuator System

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

Low visual impact of the completed solution showing the real Rockfall Impact Attenuator Systems Advantage when made out of high tensile steel

Rockfall Protection - Clackamas Highway, Oregon, OR224 2015

Rockfall Impact Attenuator System blending in with the natural environment

 

Systems

 

System length

393 m

 

Year of installation

2015

Initial situation

The Clackamas Highway (OR 224) is an expressway that passes through hilly farmland to the city of Estacada, OR, continuing southeast into the Mount Hood National Forest, ending to the small community of Ripplebrook. In September of 2014, a wildfire named Pit 36 broke out growing quickly and burning 5500 acres of the steep heavily timbered slopes (The Oregonian 9.15.14). Already near vertical highway rock cuts along OR 224, combined with freshly burned and exposed ground were perfect conditions for high rockslide and landslide potential. 

Not a short two months after the fire two rockslides dumped 350 cubic yards of material across both lanes of Highway 224 near milepost 35 forcing residents and loggers to take a 1-1/2 hour detour (The Oregonian, 11.10.14).  After an emergency clean-up of the rockslides the highway was reopened awaiting permanent rockfall mitigation measures to be implemented. Engineering Geologists from the Oregon Department of Transportation investigated the slopes and evaluated the rockfall hazard for a permanent mitigation strategy.  

Description

Through the design process Geobrugg provided technical support on various flexible rockfall mitigation systems.  The Engineering Geologists from the Oregon Department of Transportation chose to mitigate future rockfall with the use of an Attenuator Hybrid Rockfall Barrier System.  

The Rockfall Impact Attenuator Systems supplied on this project utilizes GBE-500A post and rope infrastructure supporting TECCO® G80/4 [mm] mesh that drapes down to the safe runout zone at the toe of the rock slope. As specified in the projects plans, two attenuator hybrid rockfall barriers were installed as a part of this project.  One system is 300 feet long, with 4 meter tall posts, having an approximately 80 feet long TECCO® mesh draped tail. 

The second system was much longer at 987 feet in length and was customized with three system heights at 4 meters, 6 meters, and again dropping down to 3 meters.  Specialized posts were developed in order to transition between the various system heights in a continuous manner, optimizing post spacing and rope layouts. The draped TECCO® mesh tails on these systems are up to 100 feet long terminating nominally 10 feet above the toe of the slope.

The attenuator hybrid rockfall barrier systems are fully compliant with Buy America requirements for steel being made from steel forged and manufactured in the United States. 

  

Customer

Oregon Department of Transportation

Engineering

Oregon Department of Transportation

Contractor

High-Tech Rockfall Construction, Inc.

Protected object

Road

Corrosion protection

Galvanized, 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

E-Mail

Saleh Feidi
 

Saleh Feidi

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

E-Mail

John Kalejta
 

John Kalejta

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

E-Mail

Bob Lyne
 

Bob Lyne

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

E-Mail

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

E-Mail

Tim Shevlin
 

Tim Shevlin

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

E-Mail