Rockfall embankments: Construction and Design

The introduction of Austrian standard ONR 24810 provides a design concept for earth dams to protect against massive rockfall events. The essential basis for the concept is the differentiation into five construction types of rockfall embankments due to different system behaviour. The structure therefore has to be assigned to one type at the beginning of the design process. The types available for selection are a simple earth dam (type I), a dam with quarry stone facing (type II), a geosynthetic-reinforced dam without increased crosswise distribution of the impact loads (type III), a geosynthetic-reinforced dam with increased crosswise distribution (type IVa) and with strongly increased crosswise distribution (type IVb) of the impact loads. Eurocode 7 (EC 7) is considered accordingly. The design concept is currently being discussed and used in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Norway. Presented are the design principle and the construction as executive summary. © 2020, Ernst und Sohn. All rights reserved.