Load testing and simulation of asymmetric cable-net used for flexible rockfall protection barriers

Abstract

Flexible protection barriers are often located on the mountainsides in order to decrease the risk of rockfall. In the present study, different scales of experimental tests are considered, to gauge the behaviour and to estimate the bearing capacity of a new type of cable-nets used for these flexible barriers in case of quasi-static loads. A large experimental campaign addressing cables characterization, as well as the behaviour of the constitutive cells of the net, which particular shape, a water drop shape instead of the classical rings, induces asymmetric loading transfer. Finally, the net behaviour itself is characterized through appropriate tests. These tests highlighted the non-linear behaviour perceived at different scales and permitted to evaluate the bearing capacity of the various components. Numerical simulations using the finite element code Abaqus were also conducted for the different components, a group of constitutive cells with rigid or fuse clip or the whole net, to reproduce the behaviour observed experimentally.