Study on the mechanical behaviour of flexible barriers by in situ testing and modelling

This study presents the results of a real scale in situ experimental test conducted in order to analyse the dynamics of the impact of a debris flow on flexible barriers. The analyses of the tests, together with the calculation of the thrust caused by the flow have been conducted with both numerical 3D analysis performed with a FEM model and with the application of a simplified analytical model developed by the authors. A Finite Element Method (FEM) model was set up in order to analyze the stress strain behaviour of the netting. The comparison between experimental and numerical results have made it possible to analyse the dynamics of the impact and to better understand the complex resisting mechanism of flexible barriers.