Consideration of the Maximum Impact Force Design for the Rock-Shed Slab

This study aims at the estimation of the maximum impact force for a rock-shed slab under collision by a rock fall. A DEM program calibrated from small-scale physical experiments is used to model the movement of rock fall clusters and to measure the resultant impact forces. The results obtained from the small-scale experiments show that the maximum impact forces are significantly affected by the mass of the rock fall, the height from which they fall as well as the falling process. Full-scale numerical modeling based upon a field case not only confirms the experimental results but also sheds light upon the influence of the rock fall mode and the contact stiffness between the rock and the rock-shed. This study provides guidelines for the design of rock-shed structures countering large rock fall problems.