 Passive Drapery System
 Active Stabilisation System
 Rockfall Barrier
 Rockfall Embankment
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Roads, railways and urban areas are frequently subjected to instability of rock slopes. Such instabilities can affect the superficial portion of the slope or involve its entire global stability. Rockfall protection system can be designed to act on the cortical portion of the slope only, or reach deep within the consolidated mass of large blocks or slopes. A clear distinction must be made at the outset between:
- "cortical" protections, applied using a combination of steel mesh or steel cable panels achorings, and
- soil nailing, whose aim is to stabilise the rock slope against global instability, although the same superficial protections are normally applied.
It is incorrect to assume that the same intervention techniques dedicated to superficial portion of the slopes can be applied for more deep seated instabilities. Superficial instabilities result from alterations and deterioration of the rocks by plant action, thermal expansion, wind and salt erosion, excavation methods, cold and thaw processes, progressive weathering of joints within rocks, hydrostatic pressures, seismic action to name a few. These problems are occasionally reduced to simple schemes. Rather, quantitative assessment should be undertaken to adequately and efficiently quantify the risks associated with possible landslides for a particular slope or set of slopes. The risk assessment should weigh up the probability, magnitude and distribution of occurrences against the unforeseen and undesirable consequence of human casualties, property damage and loss of service. Risk management should focus on identifying key potential risk factors which are logically evaluated in terms of probabilities, costs and other benefits, so as to optimally manage the risk.
Rockfall protection systems have become a key element in the design and maintenance of infrastructure networks impacting directly on safety and necessitating thus, a new approach that encompasses the overall analysis of the rockfall structural system and not the individual components alone. The word "system", best describes the different structural components that interact with one another.
A key distinction ought to be made between active and passive protection systems.
MACcaferri ROckfall Protection Systems (MAC.RO™) can be categorised as follows (in relation to movement):
- Passive Systems - these are systems that do not stop a rock from detaching but rather intercept the falling debris as it makes its way down the slope in a controlled manner. They include various mesh drapery systems, flexible rock fall barriers (catch fences) and reinforced rockfall embankments.
- Active Systems – these are systems that limit the excessive movement once a rock detachment has occured. They include various types of steel wire and steel cable meshes which are anchored to the rock slope.
For further information, available tools or services, installation specifications and design software, please contact your nearest Maccaferri office.
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