Introducing Meta-models for a More Efficient Hazard Mitigation Strategy with Rockfall Protection Barriers

The paper presents a new approach to assess the effecctiveness of rockfall protection barriers, accounting for the wide variety of impact conditions observed on natural sites. This approach makes use of meta-models, considering a widely used rockfall barrier type and was developed from on FE simulat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inRock mechanics and rock engineering Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 1097 - 1109
Main Authors Toe, David, Mentani, Alessio, Govoni, Laura, Bourrier, Franck, Gottardi, Guido, Lambert, Stéphane
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Vienna Springer Vienna 01.04.2018
Springer Nature B.V
Springer Verlag
Subjects
Accuracy
Barriers
Civil Engineering
Computer simulation
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Emergency preparedness
Environmental hazards
Geophysics/Geodesy
Hazard assessment
Hazard mitigation
Kinetic energy
Mathematical models
Mechanics
Mitigation
Model accuracy
Original Paper
Parameters
Physics
Protection
Rockfall
Simulation
Structural mechanics
Trajectory analysis
Rockfall mitigation
Meta-model
Barrier
Deterministic model
Deterministic model 21
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Summary:The paper presents a new approach to assess the effecctiveness of rockfall protection barriers, accounting for the wide variety of impact conditions observed on natural sites. This approach makes use of meta-models, considering a widely used rockfall barrier type and was developed from on FE simulation results. Six input parameters relevant to the block impact conditions have been considered. Two meta-models were developed concerning the barrier capability either of stopping the block or in reducing its kinetic energy. The outcome of the parameters range on the meta-model accuracy has been also investigated. The results of the study reveal that the meta-models are effective in reproducing with accuracy the response of the barrier to any impact conditions, providing a formidable tool to support the design of these structures. Furthermore, allowing to accommodate the effects of the impact conditions on the prediction of the block–barrier interaction, the approach can be successfully used in combination with rockfall trajectory simulation tools to improve rockfall quantitative hazard assessment and optimise rockfall mitigation strategies.
ISSN:0723-2632
1434-453X
DOI:10.1007/s00603-017-1394-9