Rock Fall Engineering

Rock falls can be a public safety issue. This book provides comprehensive information on identification of these hazards, and design and construction of protection methods. Rock Fall Engineering describes first, the theoretical background to rock fall behavior in terms of the impact and trajectory phases of rock falls, and second, how this information is applied to modeling of rock falls and the design of ditches, fences and sheds. The theory of rock fall behavior is verified by comparing the calculations with five carefully documented case studies. The book covers four main topics as follows: Describes causes of rock falls, including geology, climate and topography, and provides detailed documentation on rock fall impacts and trajectories at five sites with a wide variety of topographic and geologic features Discusses theory of impact mechanics, and its application to velocity and energy changes during impacts and trajectories Reviews methods of modeling rock fall events, and presents analyses for the five case studies Examines rock fall protection in terms of selecting appropriate method(s) for site conditions, and design principles in which the objective is to absorb impact energy in an efficient manner This book, which contains many worked examples, is of interest to practitioners and researchers working in the fields of geological engineering and natural hazards. Duncan C. Wyllie is a principal with Wyllie & Norrish Rock Engineers in Vancouver, Canada, and a registered professional engineer in British Columbia. He has worked on rock fall hazard projects involving the design and construction protection measures since the 1970s. He is the author of Foundations on Rock, Second Edition, and Rock Slope Engineering, Fourth Edition, both published by CRC Press.

Rock Falls – Causes And Consequences Source Zones And Topography Geology Weather Effects On Rock Falls Vegetation Effects On Rock Falls Seismic Effects On Rock Falls Human And Animal Influences On Rock Falls Consequences Of Rock Falls Documentation Of Rock Fall Events Impacts On Rock Slopes Impacts On Talus And Colluvium Slopes Impacts On Asphalt Impact With Concrete Summary Of Case Study Results Rock Fall Velocities And Trajectories Trajectory Calculations Rock Fall Velocities Variation Of Trajectories With Restitution Angle Angular Velocity Field Observations Of Rock Fall Trajectories Impact Mechanics Principles Of Rigid Body Impact Forces And Impulses Generated During Collinear Impact Energy Changes During Impact Coefficient Of Restitution Friction And Angular Velocity Changes During Impact Impact Behaviour For Rough, Rotating Body Calculated Vs Actual Restitution Velocities Coefficient Of Restitution Newton’s Coefficient Of Restitution Normal Coefficient Of Restitution Tangential Coefficient Of Restitution And Friction Energy Changes During Impacts And Trajectories Impact Mechanics Theory And Kinetic Energy Changes Rotational Energy Gains/Losses Total Energy Losses Energy Loss Diagrams Loss Of Mass During Impact Effect Of Trees On Energy Losses Rock Fall Modelling Spreadsheet Calculations Terrain Model – Two Dimensional V Three Dimensional Analysis Modelling Methods – Lumped Mass Modelling Methods – Discrete Element Model (DEM) Modelling Results Of Case Studies Summary Of Rock Fall Simulation Results Selection Of Protection Structures Impact Energy – Deterministic And Probabilistic Design Values Impact Energy – Service And Ultimate States Energies Impact Energy – Probability Calculations Determination Of Rock Fall Return Periods Risk Management Of Rock Fall Hazards Design Principles Of Rock Fall Protection Structures Structure Location With Respect To Impact Points Attenuation Of Rock Fall Energy In Protection Structures Minimizing Forces In Rock Fall Protection Fences Design Of Stiff, Attenuator Fences Model Testing Of Protection Structures Rock Fall Protection I – Barriers, Nets And Fences Ditches And Barriers MSE Embankments Slide Detector Fences Wire Mesh – Draped and Pinned Nets and fences Rock Fall Protection II - Rock Sheds Types of rock sheds Reinforced concrete sheds Cantilevered structures Sheds with sloping roofs Wire mesh canopies Appendices

Duncan C. Wyllie has a physics degree from the University of London and engineering degrees from the University the New South Wales, Australia and the University of California, Berkeley. He is a principal with Wyllie & Norrish Rock Engineers in Vancouver, Canada, and a registered professional engineer in British Columbia. Duncan Wyllie has lectured widely and has also authored or co-authored a number of textbooks on applied rock mechanics including Foundations on Rock (1st and 2nd editions in 1989 and 2001), and Rock Slope Engineering, Fourth Edition (2002), both published by Taylor & Francis.