GC 210 is a national highway in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. The stretch of road between the municipalities of Tejeda and Artenara has slopes with stability problems related to the evolution of the escarpment. The safety of the road was threatened and several severe rockfalls had occurred, leading to the road closure in some cases. Maccaferri proposed the installation of a rockfall barrier to catch falling rocks before they hit the road.
GC 210 is a national highway in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands (Spain). The stretch of road between the municipalities of Tejeda and Artenara has slopes with stability problems.
The lithology in the vicinity of the road consists of different materials that are being eroded by the atmosphere. This, in combination with the geomorphological structure, has caused stability problems related to the evolution of the escarpment.
Specifically, softer materials are eroded, leading to the formation of small caves and the exposure of larger rock strata. Environmental influences, in conjunction with the discontinuities, led to some block isolation and consequently to stability problems.
The safety of the road was threatened and several severe rockfalls had occurred, leading to the road closure in some cases.
The proposed technical solution to protect the road was to install a rockfall barrier to intercept rocks falling from the escarpment above, preventing them from impacting the highway.
A detailed design investigation was carried out involving the analysis of the most dangerous blocks and their trajectories concluding with the selection of an 80m-long, 6m-high, 8,600kJ barrier.
The RMC 850/A dynamic barrier consists of a kit of posts, bracing cables, interception meshes and energy dissipating devices. The interception structure consists of steel ring panels, in conjunction with hexagonal double twisted wire mesh.
During an impact the system progressively deflects, absorbing and dissipating the energy of the falling rock, prevented it from moving any further. The patented energy dissipation devices absorb energy by compression and not by friction, delivering a more reliable longer term performance.
This barrier has ETAG 027 compliance (Falling Rock Protection Kits), and it is classified in Class 8 for the Energy Level classification and category A for the Barrier Residual Height.
Maccaferri Mac.ROTM systems are installed daily, worldwide, in demanding applications, reassuring clients with safe, cost effective and reliable natural hazard protection.
