Dynamic response of flexible rockfall barriers under different loading geometries |
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| Authors: | Raymond C H Koo Julian S H Kwan Carlos Lam Charles W W Ng Jack Yiu Clarence E Choi Axel K L Ng Ken K S Ho W K Pun |
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| Institution: | 1.Geotechnical Engineering Office, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Hong Kong SAR Government,Hong Kong,China;2.Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,Hong Kong,China;3.Arup,Hong Kong,China;4.AECOM,Hong Kong,China |
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| Abstract: | Flexible steel barriers are commonly constructed on steep hillsides to mitigate rockfall. The evaluation of the dynamic response of proprietary flexible barriers is conventionally performed using full-scale field tests by dropping a weight onto the barriers in accordance with the European test standard ETAG 27. The weight typically has a spherical or polyhedral shape and cannot reproduce more complex rockfall scenarios encountered in the field. A rigid slab may load a barrier over a larger area and its effect has not been investigated. In this study, a calibrated three-dimensional finite-element model was developed to study the performance of vertically and horizontally orientated rockfall barriers under concentrated areal impact loads. A new bilinear force-displacement model was incorporated into the model to simulate the behavior of the energy-dissipating devices on the barriers. The effect of different weight geometries was studied by considering impacts by a rigid single spherical boulder and a rigid slab. Results reveal that areal loading induced by a rigid slab increases the loading on the barrier foundation by up to 40 % in both horizontally and vertically positioned barriers when compared to a concentrated load scenario with a single boulder. This indicates that barriers tested under the current test standard does not give the worst-case scenario in terms of foundation loads, and barrier designers should take into account the possible effect of increased foundation loads by reinforcing the barrier posts and/or increasing their spacing. |
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