Most slopes experience rockfall as part of the normal weathering process. While rockfall is natural, falling rocks pose major health and safety risks and can damage critical infrastructures. It is vital to take immediate measures to contain or control rock movement when the first signs begin and then monitor rockfall-prone areas regularly.
In a recent rock scaling project, a railway authority approached GeoStabilization International® to stop the rockfall near a railroad tunnel portal. Differential weathering of shale and sandstone seams on the nearby slope was causing rocks to topple into the existing slide fences on the site.
GeoStabilization’s rockfall division had to devise a rockfall mitigation plan and implement it in record time to:
The team considered standard rock bolt, rock anchor, and draped steel mesh solutions, but these were untenable due to the large area and narrow project timeframe. They decided that a rock scaling program would be a quicker, cheaper, and more terrain-appropriate solution that could stop ongoing slope movement and largely prevent future rockfall.
GeoStabilization’s engineers and rock remediation technicians arrived on site within 24 hours of the initial call. They performed a detailed slope analysis, rockfall trajectory analysis, and energy modeling to understand the terrain specifics and create a custom rockfall control plan.
Before launching the rock scaling program, the team placed blast mats on the tracks to protect them from falling debris. GeoStabilization’s technicians then used advanced rock scaling technology, high-rail trucks, airbags, and a fleet of purpose-built, limited-access rock drills to remove a large, unstable rock mass from the slope and safely drop it onto the track.
This strategy allowed GeoStabilization to effectively stop the rockfall, prevent future slope movement, and complete the project on time and on budget despite the extremely narrow timeframe.
GeoStabilization effectively mitigates rockfall hazards through anchor rock and draped mesh solutions, attenuator systems, rock scaling, and other on-slope treatments. These solutions allow rockfall to occur while containing or controlling its movement.
A standard solution is to drape steel mesh over the slope to retard the energy and keep falling rocks under the mesh. This technique prevents rocks from falling onto roads, railway tracks, and other transport infrastructure.
For extremely high slopes, GeoStabilization’s rockfall technicians can add extra protection by extending the mesh from a rock barrier system and removing the bottom rope to create an attenuator or hybrid-barrier solution.
GeoStabilization International® is North America’s premier provider of rockfall mitigation and rock slope stabilization services. The company uses the latest techniques, state-of-the-art tools, and one of the industry’s largest fleets of limited-access vehicles to contain and prevent rockfall on all slope types.
Call 855-579-0536 to discuss your needs and learn more about GeoStabilization’s rock scaling and rockfall control solutions.
If you are interested in a no-obligation site visit to determine if our services fit your geohazard mitigation needs, call us at 855-579-0536 or fill out our contact form.
