Maccaferri rockfall barrier passes 6500KJ test in Italy

Concrete block used for a 6500KJ test for a rockfall barrier in Italy

Concrete block used for a 6500KJ test for a rockfall barrier in Italy

Maccaferri’s prototype P650 rockfall barrier was successfully tested at Fonzaso test centre in Rocciatori in Italy. The mesh was tested with a 16 metric ton (over 36 kip) concrete block dropped from a height of 38 m (125 feet) to generate 6,500 kJ of kinetic energy. After the mesh had stretched, a smaller 2.2 metric ton block was dropped at the same location to prove the system can cope with more than one rockfall at a given location without failure. [Source: New Civil Engineer. Image: NCE]