Rockfall barrier

[1] Barriers are passive rockfall mitigation structures adapted for rock block kinetic energies up to 8 megajoules.

In the 1960s, the Washington State Department of Transportation conducted the very first experiments for evaluating the efficiency of barriers in arresting rock blocks.

A so-called 'chain link fence attenuator' was exposed to impacts by blocks freely rolling down a slope for evaluating its efficiency.

Nowadays, barriers are the most widely used type of rockfall mitigation structures and their variety has considerabily increased since the 1970s and in particular over the last two decades.

Depending on the rock block kinetic energy and manufacturer, various structures types and design exist, combining these different components.

Once the force in the cables reaches a given value, the brake is activated, allowing for a larger barrier deformation and dissipating energy.

[2] For instance, the design of flexible barriers is often based on results from the conformance tests prescribed in a specific European guildeline.