Maccaferri, the geotechnical and erosion control specialist, has achieved a first with its new CTR range of deformable rock-fall containment barriers. The company states that their system is the only one currently on the market in the UK which carries European ETAG 27 compliance.
ETAG 27 (from the European Technical Approval Guidelines), provides the minimum standards for the design and tests of rock-fall protection barrier systems utilised in the EU. Independent tests undertaken at Italy’s University of Bologna verified that the Maccaferri barriers performed to ‘Category A’ standard – the highest, as defined in this EU document.
ETAG 27 also forms the core of the CE approval process, meaning only rock-fall protection systems which pass ETAG 27 can gain CE approval.
ETAG 27 compliance is already a legal requirement in both France and Italy, where rock-fall protection barriers are extensively utilised on susceptible slopes to prevent debris falling onto rail lines, roads and other sensitive areas.
Rock-fall protection system
Maccaferri’s CTR system – designed and developed in conjunction with its Italian parent company, Officine Maccaferri – provides rock-fall protection up to a maximum impact energy of 5,000kJ; the same as stopping a 16.5t lorry travelling at 57mph, within 5.6m.
Maccaferri’s barriers are manufactured from high specification materials and components and are supplied to site in prefabricated kits for simple, on-site assembly. The majority of connections for kits are made in the factory, so installation variables are minimised and reliable long-term performance assured.
The first UK use of Maccaferri’s new CTR rock-fall barrier system will be by specialist contractors CAN [Scotland] on the A92 trunk road near Newport-on-Tay, Scotland, during August 2008.
