Miki CHIBA, Tetsuo SAKAGUCHI, Kazuhito SHIMOJO, ˆä‘ºr‘¥ and Toshinori IMURA
Abstract
Flexible protection barriers have not been as widespread as retaining walls
in Japan, and it is difficult to confirm their effectiveness using full]scale
tests because of safety management issues. However, the flexible protection
barrier will become more useful tool in slope failure protection as new designs
are developed. Here, we report on an experiment conducted in Switzerland in
2008. This experiment utilized full]scale collapse where soil flowed down]slope
and the load was measured at the barrier. The flexible protection barrier safely
caught 140m3 of soil. According to the calculated flow velocity determined using
high]speed video cameras, flexible protection barriers could endure loads on
many slopes in Japan, although they require a `catching space' downstream of
the barrier to collect collapsed soil.
Key wordsFflexible protection battier, field experiment, Switzerland