Geobrugg GBE-1000A User manual

European Technical
Assessment
ETA 09/0262
ETAG 027: Category A
Energy class 3: ≥1000 kJ
Height: 4 – 5 m
Attending testing institute:
Swiss Federal Institute for
Forest, Snow and Landscape
Research WSL
Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Date: 08.10.2018
Edition: 16
© Geobrugg AG
CH-8590 Romanshorn
Product Manual
GBE-1000A
ROCKFALL BARRIER

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FUNCTION AND STRUCTURE OF THE MANUAL
This product manual ensures that Geobrugg rockfall protection systems are manufactured without errors in ac-
cordance with the latest technical findings, that their area of application is clearly defined, that their functionality is
guaranteed, and that their installation is performed and checked properly.
The product manual is divided into the following parts:
•Proof of quality assurance
•System overview/rope guide
•Staking out
•Assembly details
•ISO 9001 certificate
This document does not claim to be exhaustive. Before starting an installation, it must be ensured that the copy of
the product manual is up-to-date. It is designed for general standard applications and does not take into account
any project-specific parameters. Geobrugg cannot be held liable for any additional costs which may arise in spe-
cial cases. If anything is unclear, please contact the manufacturer. Geobrugg AG's general terms and conditions
apply.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTENT:
Geobrugg AG
Protection Systems
Aachstrasse 11
PO Box
CH-8590 Romanshorn, Switzerland
[email protected]
www.geobrugg.com
Romanshorn, 24. May 2018
(Stamp / legally valid signatures)

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I RANGE OF APPLICATION
The design of rockfall protection systems is based on detailed investigations by specialized engineering firms,
particularly taking into account the following geotechnical aspects to define the range of possible applications:
•Previous Rockfall events
•Condition of the rockfall breakout zone
•Stability assessment of the entire rockfall zone
•Rockfall frequency
•Size of the blocks to be intercepted
•Trajectories and bounce heights of stones
•Calculation of kinetic energies
•Positioning of the barrier (considering the local topography)
•Anchorage conditions
II QUALITY OF THE SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Geobrugg AG, formerly the Geobrugg Schutzsysteme (Geobrugg Protection Systems) department of Fatzer AG,
Romanshorn, has been certified according to the quality management system requirements (ISO 9001:2008) un-
der the registration number CH-34372 since August 22nd, 1995. The certification center is the SQS (Swiss Asso-
ciation for Quality and Management Systems), which is a member of IQNet. The quality manual specifies in full
the way in which the individual system components (basic material, commercial products, and end products) are
checked extensively to eliminate poor quality. You can find the corresponding certificates in the appendix.
III FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE BARRIER SYSTEMS
The functional efficiency of the system is based on one-to-one rockfall tests, carried out and tested in accordance
with the guidelines for approval of rockfall protection nets ETAG 027. The one-to-one rockfall tests are carried out
by dropping a block vertically into the middle field of a three-field barrier. The distance between posts is 10 m, and
an impact velocity of 25 m/s is reached. The full-scale test is approved by a notified test body and the European
Technical Approval (ETA) has the number ETA –09/0262.
IV QUALITY CONTROL FOR INSTALLATION
This product manual describes in detail the different steps for installation of the barriers. These steps must be
faithfully followed by local contractors.

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V PRODUCT LIABILITY
Rockfall, landslides, debris flows or avalanches are sporadic and unpredictable. The cause is human (buildings,
etc.), for example, or forces beyond human control (weather, earthquakes, etc.). The multiplicity of factors that
may trigger such events means that guaranteeing the safety of persons and property is not an exact science.
However, the risks of injury and loss of property can be substantially reduced by appropriate calculations that ap-
ply good engineering practices, and by using predictable parameters along with the corresponding implementa-
tion of flawless protective measures in identified risk areas.
Monitoring and maintenance of such systems are an absolute requirement to ensure the desired safety level.
System safety can also be diminished through events, natural disasters, inadequate dimensioning or failure to
use standard components, systems and original parts, but also through corrosion (caused by environmental pollu-
tion or other man-made factors as well as other external influences).
In contrast to the one-to-one rockfall tests, which indeed test an extreme load case but still only demonstrate a
standardized situation, in the field the layout and design of a protection system can vary greatly because of the
topography. The influence of such alterations and adaptations cannot always be determined exactly. Critical
points are, for example, post spacing, changes in direction, placement angle of the rope anchor, and the direction
and velocity of impact.
Geobrugg can assist with estimating the influence of larger deviations and special situations, and can offer rec-
ommendations for feasible solutions. Geobrugg cannot, however, guarantee the same behaviour as in the one-to-
one rockfall tests. In critical cases, it is advisable to reinforce particular components as compared with the stand-
ard barrier.

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TABLE OF CONTENT
1HAZARD STATEMENT ....................................................................................................... 8
2INSTALLATION TOOLS ..................................................................................................... 9
3USING THE WIRE ROPE CLIPS ....................................................................................... 10
4STAKING OUT DEPENDING ON THE TERRAIN............................................................... 12
5STAKING-OUT GEOMETRY ............................................................................................. 14
6ROPE ANCHOR - PLACEMENT ........................................................................................ 18
7ANCHORING THE BASE PLATE ...................................................................................... 19
8PREPARING THE POSTS AND NETS ............................................................................... 22
9IN CASE OF CRANE OR HELICOPTER INSTALLATION................................................... 25
10 INSTALLING THE SUPERSTRUCTURE ........................................................................... 26
11 ASSEMBLY DETAILS ....................................................................................................... 28
12 ADDITIONAL SOLUTION TO THE STANDARD................................................................. 37
13 FINAL INSPECTION......................................................................................................... 38

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EXPLANATION OF USED SYMBOLS
Safety indication: essential to follow
Note / Reminder that the system is correctly installed easily
A consultation with Geobrugg is recommended
Upslope
Downslope
1 HAZARD STATEMENT
QUALIFICATION OF THE GROUP LEADER
The management of installation may only be done by a qualified group leader.
CABLES WITH PRETENSION
Cables are under tension. During installation and pretensioning of the cables, make sure that there are no
persons in the danger zone.
RELEASING OF PARTS WITH PRETENSION
Releasing or cutting of components with pretension should be avoided. Should there still be necessary,
the utmost caution.

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2 INSTALLATION TOOLS
MARKING
•30 –50 m measuring tape
•Measure stick
•5 red and white ranging poles
•Inclinometer
•Spray can
•Wooden peg or iron peg (min. 3x for each field)
•Hammer/mallet
•Manual
INSTALLATION
•Open-ended or ring wrench
•Socket wrench set with ratchet
•Torque wrench, range 25 –400 Nm (see tightening torque required for wire rope clips
and base plate fastening nuts)
•Open-ended wrench for base plate fastening nuts
•Felco C16 or C112 wire rope cutter or similar; 12 mm cutting capacity
•Cutting-Off wheel or hammer wire cutter; 28 mm cutting capacity
•pincers, flat-nose pliers
•2 mm galvanized wire strands or wire
•Angle spirit level
•Roll of adhesive tape
•Rope clamp, small 8 –16 mm/large 14 –26 mm (min. 2x)
•At least 2 tension belts
•Cable winch hoist, e.g. LUG-ALL
•Chain hoist or HABEGGER wire rope hoist, min. 1.5 t (15 kN)
•Auxiliary ropes

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t
e
3 USING THE WIRE ROPE CLIPS
Instructions below apply to all wire rope clips according FF-C-450 type 1 class 1
(similar EN 13411-5 type 2) delivered by Geobrugg AG.
The distance ebetween the wire rope clips should be at least 1 x t but not exceed 2
x t , where tis the width of the clamping jaws. The loose rope end has to be 3 x e at
a minimum. Geobrugg recommends looping up the remaining free section and fixing
it directly behind the last wire rope clip on the tightened rope.
If you are using a thimble in the loop structure, the first wire rope clip must be at-
tached directly next to the thimble. For loops without a thimble the length hbetween
the first wire rope clip and the point of load incidence must minimally be 15-time the
nominal diameter of the rope. In unloaded condition the length hof the loop should
be not less than the double of the loop width h/2.
The clamping brackets (U-brackets) must always be fitted to the unstressed end of the rope, the clamping jaws
(saddle) must always be fitted to the strained rope („never saddle a dead horse“).
During tightening the nuts have to be tensioned equally (alternately) until the required tightening torque is
reached.
The required tightening torques with lubrication apply to wire rope clips whose
bearing surfaces and the threads of the nuts have been greased with Panolin CL
60 multipurpose lubricant spray (or an equivalent lubricant).
FF-C-450 type 1 class 1
min. 3 x e
h/2
h