Dynamic Barriers
2009
Catalan Bay Road, Gibraltar
Golder Associates
CAN Geotechnical Ltd
Golder Associates
Catalan Bay Road Protection
View of completed roadside barriers
View of road junction
View of slope from the road showing boudlers
Problem
The eastern (former water catchment) slopes of the Rock of Gibraltar have a long and tragic history of rockfall events. Catalan Bay, on the eastern coastline of Gibraltar, hosts the territory’s only sand beach and is a popular tourist venue. Rock falls have affected the road near the junction of the bay’s only car park for some years and the decision was taken to design protection from falling rocks.
Solution
The project comprised the installation of fixed galvanised heavy steel H beams with Maccaferri HEA panels suspended between. While lacking the technical certification of a dynamic rockfall fence system (such as Maccaferri’s RB range), the HEA panels used in the Catalan Bay system do have proven exceptionally high dynamic impact resistance. Additionally, Maccaferri HEA panels were recently proven to be the best products available for “Hybrid Barrier” systems in the independent testing carried out by the Transport Research Board in the US (TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CIRCULAR E-C141, Transport Research Board, October 2009. [ISSN 0097-8515])