A Method to Compute the Ultimate Displacements in Reinforced Earth Rockfall Protection Embankments: A Perspective for the Design
摘要
Rockfall protective embankments (RPEs) offer a cost-effective solution for mitigating rockfall hazards, particularly in scenarios involving high-energy or repeated impacts. Among the available technologies, reinforced earth embankments are widely adopted, although their design methodologies remain a subject of ongoing research. This study investigates the behavior of a reinforced earth RPE, with a focus on characterizing the evolution of the displacement field up to collapse induced by a localized punching force, representing the impact of a falling block, applied to one face of the structure. Two reinforcement configurations are examined: unidirectional geogrid and double-twist steel mesh with metallic clips. Given the scarcity of full-scale experimental data and the practical challenges associated with such tests, a series of reduced-scale tests was designed and conducted. Geometric and mechanical similitude was ensured through the application of the Buckingham