Efficiency assessment of existing rockfall protection embankments based on an impact strength criterion

Stéphane Lambert (1) , Bernd Kister (2)

1 UR ETGR (ETNA) - Erosion torrentielle neige et avalanches
2 Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts [Luzern]

This article first proposes a literature-based criterion for evaluating the capacity of protection embankments in resisting rockfall-induced impacts. The criterion is intended to help stakeholders and public authorities expediently evaluate the strength of existing embankments. It is intentionally kept simple so that it can be applied to any type of embankment and even in those lacking design documentation. The criterion was developed based on available data from real-scale impact experiments conducted worldwide on various types of embankments. It relates the embankment downhill face deformation to the block-incident kinetic energy, differentiating reinforced and non-reinforced embankments. This criterion is then applied to a set of ninety-eight embankments built in France and Switzerland. While the dynamic loading was seldom considered for their design, it appears that > 50% of these embankments meet the criterion. This held evaluation, more importantly serves to identify the nearly one-third of this set for which the application of this criterion suggests an excessive downhill deformation , inviting further investigations with respect to their impact strength and performance expectations

Mots clés: Embankment; Rockfall; Assessment; Design; Risk analysis; Criterion; Impact

Domaines: Génie civil

Stéphane Lambert, Bernd Kister. Efficiency assessment of existing rockfall protection embankments based on an impact strength criterion. Engineering Geology, 2018, 243, pp.1-9. ⟨10.1016/j.enggeo.2018.06.008⟩. ⟨hal-01987509⟩