Geobrugg puts word first in rockfall protection to the test
Romanshorn - With its new rockfall barrier, Geobrugg has managed to achieve unprecedented results. With this global first, the safety company is expanding the possibilities in the area of rockfall protection. As a result, it will now be possible to offer enhanced safety during natural catastrophes.
(CONNECT) Geobrugg, the protection solutions specialist based in the Swiss canton of Thurgau, has set “a new benchmark in rockfall protection”, as the company writes in a press release. Testing of its RXE-12500 ring net barrier reportedly delivered “unprecedented results”.
The test involved a concrete block weighing 25 metric tons being dropped from a height of 52 meters. The block is said to have reached a speed of 115 kilometers per hour upon impact with the barrier. In this instance, the barrier reportedly withstood an impact energy of 12,500 kilojoules and absorbed an energy of 14,100 kilojoules.
As far as the test conditions are concerned, the company explains: “The barrier has been tested in vertical free fall according to the EAD-340059-00-0106-2018 Falling Rock Protection Kits. Compared to other testing methods, the vertical drop test represents the most demanding test for the system”. According to the information, the results achieved with this test surpass the record set in October 2017, when a test involving an impact energy equivalent to 10,000 kilojoules was carried out.
The safety systems provider is described as demonstrating quantifiable progress in rockfall protection. According to the press release, the latest technology helps to increase safety during natural hazards such as rockfall, landslides, debris flows, avalanches and coastal erosion. Moreover, the ring net barrier that underwent testing is also more cost-effective, Geobrugg states. Compared with reinforced concrete structures or earth dams, material costs are lower, which helps to keep transport and logistics costs lower.
The company has released a video covering the test process. ce/heg