Evaluation of the Performance of Gabion Walls as a High-Energy Rockfall Protection System Using 3D Numerical Analysis: A Case Study

Abstract

Cases of rockfalls that occurred on a slope in the Selendi District of Manisa Province are evaluated in this article. Field studies are evaluated and different measures are examined to reduce rockfall risk. Drone flights are used to evaluate previous studies and obtain 1/1000 scale digital topographic maps. These maps are used to create a 3D (three-dimensional) solid model of the project site, and on-site surveys are conducted to identify source rock locations and free blocks that pose a risk. Those 3D analyses are used to determine the paths, jump heights, and energies of the blocks in motion. The data from the 3D maps are used to determine the most appropriate remediation methods. The structural behavior of the recommended gabion wall, which is designed at a certain height and width as a result of rockfalls, has been examined. Structural behavior is determined by simulation based on the finite element model. Within the scope of this study, the ANSYS Workbench program is used. The “Explicit Dynamics” analysis type in ANSYS Workbench was chosen to examine the rockfall effect.

Keywords

• rockfall
• finite element model
• ANSYS
• structural behavior
• gabion wall
• 3D analysis