Development and calibration of an improved model for analysis of rock fall hazards on highways and railways

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Dynamic analysis of rock fall motion ("rock fall ballistics") is used in practice to obtain design paramaters for structures protecting transportation routes such as road and railways, or buildings from damage due to rocks falling from cliffs. The main design parameters required are: 1) the height of fock fall trajectories above ground (to determine the required size of the protective fence or similar) and 2) the potential impact forces excerted by rock fragments on the structure. Although there are several computer-based models available that claim to be able to predict these parameters, the predictions are known to be highly unreliable. This is due to overly-simplified and poorly-calibrated physical representation of interactions between the falling fragment and the slope. Based on our long experience in this field, we propose to conduct a focussed research with the purpose of improving the predictive performance of such models. Increased reliability and reduced cost of remedial structures on roads and railways will result.