Construction of a reinforced barrier for protection against rockfall

An intervention performed with Viresco® Sator 

Italy is a country subject to frequent hydrogeological instability, which, especially in mountainous areas, can manifest with great devastation due to the speed that they can acquire as they fall downhill.

Rockfall barriers serve precisely to counter such events, and protect residential settlements or secure and defend sensitive areas.

Rockfall barriers are created when, due to the impossibility of applying surface protection solutions or poor slope accessibility, it is preferable to build protective structures downstream.

In particular, if the risk of a landslide is likely to take on particularly severe connotations and contain rock elements, the barrier solution proves to be much more effective and resistant due to its considerable energy absorption capacity.

In addition, the earth-based structure allows for the greening of the work and has less impact on the environment and landscape.

Virens applications

In this case, the construction of a reinforced rockfall structure is illustrated using Viresco® Sator pre-seeded biotextile as a fine particle covering and surface greening element to achieve the best integration into the terrain.

As can be seen, not only were the protection requirements of the slope for which the work was carried out guaranteed, but a lush vegetative result was achieved right from the construction phases.

Even from the aerial photo, although not close up, we can appreciate the quality of the integration with the landscape.

It should also not be overlooked that these works, with different construction characteristics, are also used for noise reduction purposes, with excellent results. The “green” cladding offered by Viresco® Sator also guarantees a better aesthetic result, integration into the natural landscape and dust limitation.

Given the difficulty in greening these surfaces (due to slope, substrate quality, water shortage, etc.), having such a refined and perfected technical solution such as Viresco® Sator is a non-negligible and much appreciated advantage.