A huge boulder detached itself from the slope directly above the parking lot of the Eisgratbahn valley station in the Tyrolean Stubaital. To prevent further danger in a fast and reliable manner, a new type of rockfall protection dam was built using the TenCate Polyslope® S system.
Danger ahead: Secure protection against rockfall
A boulder the size of a single-family house fell from the slope above a parking lot of the Stubai Glacier cableway during a rockfall in May 2021. To eliminate the risk of further rockfalls and secure the slope in time for the start of the next winter season in October, a fast and durable solution was needed.
Thanks to our many years of experience, our flexible production facilities and the close cooperation with operators, planners and the construction company, we were able to realize this project within the tight time schedule.
Michael Uebigau, Area Sales Manager West Austria
Reliable solution: TenCate Polyslope® S for reinforcement
With the TenCate Polyslope® S system, TenCate Geosynthetics was able to contribute to a qualitatively outstanding specific construction that absorbs the dynamic forces of falling rock while requiring a minimum of surface area: The Eisgratbahn rock fall protective dam is one of the first structures built according to the ONR 24810 standard and offers an optimal combination of a maximum performance and cost efficiency coupled with a minimal time investment.
This innovative protective dam, which complies with the latest ONR, is the extension of a dam built in 2005 with the TenCate Polyslope® S system, in a move to simultaneously improve the avalanche protection for the parking lot. The implementation was carried out in record time: after the start of the project, the TenCate Polyslope® S System products for reinforcement were delivered within only 4 weeks. After only 6 weeks of construction, the project was already completed and Stubaier Gletscherbahnen was able to use the parking lot in time for the start of the winter season.
CO2 emission reduction: Minimized ecological footprint
The use of the TenCate Polyslope® S system made it possible to upgrade the mineral material on site, use it for the dam with a total volume of 18,100 m3 and therefore drastically reduce the transport effort.
With a total of only four truckloads for the transport of construction materials, the project has a minimal environmental footprint. It also reduced the impact on local residents from construction noise and dust. A conventional concrete structure would have required much more energy and transportation than the modern construction method using geotextiles.
On the mountainside, the dam surface in the area of the rockfall zone was constructed with a mortared tile set as surface protection against falling rock. Greenery was planted on the remaining embankment surfaces, the front sides and the top of the dam to ensure everything will blend perfectly into the landscape.
A conventional concrete structure would have required much more energy and transportation than the modern construction method using geotextiles.
On the mountainside, the dam surface in the area of the rockfall zone was constructed with a mortared tile set as surface protection against falling rock. Greenery was planted on the remaining embankment surfaces, the front sides and the top of the dam to ensure everything will blend perfectly into the landscape.
Protective dam against falling rock: Benefits of the solution with the TenCate Polyslope® S System
- Timely delivery of system components
- Minimal effort of transportation
- Preserving of natural resources: Mineral material used on site for reinforcement
- Natural appearance due to the greenery planted
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Michael Uebigau, Area Sales Manager West Austria