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© Geobrugg AG, CH-8590 Romanshorn, Switzerland GBE-500A-R / 15
I RANGE OF APPLICATION
The engineering of rockfall protection systems is based on detailed investigations by specialist engineering com-
panies, which take the following geotechnical aspects in particular into account to define the range of applica-
tions:
•Previous rockfall events
•Condition of the rockfall breakout zone
•Assessment of the stability of the entire rockfall zone
•Frequency of rockfall
•Size of the rocks to be caught
•Trajectories and bounce heights of the rocks
•Calculations of the kinetic energy
•Barrier position (taking the local topography into account)
•Anchoring conditions
II QUALITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Geobrugg AG, previously the Geobrugg Protection Systems department of Fatzer AG, based in Romanshorn,
Switzerland, has been certified to quality management system requirements (ISO 9001:2008) since August 22,
1995, registered under the number CH-34372. The certifying body is the SQS (the Swiss Association for Quality
and Management Systems), to which IQNet belongs. The Quality Manual provides complete information on how
individual system parts (primary material, commercial products and end products) must undergo extensive testing
to rule out insufficient quality.
III FUNCTIONAL RELIABILITY OF THE BARRIER SYSTEMS
The system's functional reliability is based on 1:1 rockfall tests, performed and tested in accordance with Europe-
an Technical Approval Guideline ETAG 027 "Falling Rock Protection Kits" in Walenstadt, SG (Switzerland). The
1:1 rockfall tests involve performing vertical impacts into the middle field of a three-field barrier, where the posts
are spaced at 10 m and an impact speed of at least 25 m/s is reached. The tests are accepted by a notified body
and receive an approval, known as an ETA (European Technical Approval). The approval no. of the GBE-500A-R
system is ETA –16/0329.
IV QUALITY CONTROL FOR INSTALLATION
This system manual provides a detailed description of how to design and install the barrier.