Paper contribution

Full-scale impact test on a reinforced earth embankment with advanced monitoring for rockfall protection

Stefano Vigna; Maddalena Marchelli; Valerio De Biagi; Simone Saltarin; Matteo Nadalini; Alberto Grimod; Franz Demonte; Daniele Peila

Proceedings
EUROCK 2026
Pages
373-378
Submitted
28 January 2026
Accepted
15 June 2026
Published
12 August 2026

Summary

Abstract

Reinforced earth embankments represent a robust solution for rockfall mitigation, yet their dynamic response under high-energy impacts remains poorly documented. This study presents a unique full-scale impact test performed on a 6.75 m-high reinforced earth embankment composed of nine layers of granular material reinforced with double-twisted hexagonal mesh (DT mesh). The test involved a standardized block (EAD 340059-00-0106:2018) impacting below the first reinforcement layer with an energy of approximately 10 MJ, simulating an extreme rockfall event. The novelty of this work lies in the advanced multi-sensor monitoring system integrated into the embankment and the block. The embankment was instrumented with tri-axial and mono-axial accelerometers positioned across different layers and laterally to the impact zone to capture the propagation of dynamic loads and the volume of disturbed material. A custom-designed network of strain gauges was embedded within the reinforcement layers to monitor tensile forces, while load cells at the foundation recorded stress transmission during the impact. Additionally, the impacting block was equipped with a gyroscope and accelerometer to track its kinematics. High-speed cameras captured the impact sequence, enabling correlation between visual observations and sensor data. Preliminary results reveal the distribution of acceleration peaks within the embankment, the volume disturbed by the impact, and the foundation load response under dynamic conditions. The combined dataset provides unprecedented insight into energy dissipation mechanisms and deformation patterns in reinforced earth structures under extreme impacts. This experiment establishes a benchmark for validating numerical models and improving design guidelines for embankments used in rockfall protection. The integrated monitoring approach offers a powerful tool for understanding structural resilience and optimizing reinforcement strategies under high-energy impact scenarios.

Contributors

Authors

  1. Stefano Vigna INCOFIL TECH SRL, Cirè (TN), Via degli Artigiani 52, 38057, Italy
  2. Maddalena Marchelli DIATI, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 20, 10129, Italy ORCID 0000-0002-9919-2916
  3. Valerio De Biagi DISEG, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 20, 10129, Italy ORCID 0000-0003-1866-9362
  4. Simone Saltarin DIATI, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 20, 10129, Italy
  5. Matteo Nadalini INCOFIL TECH SRL, Cirè (TN), Via degli Artigiani 52, 38057, Italy
  6. Alberto Grimod France Maccaferri, Valence, Via Rue Pierre Mechain 8, 26000, France
  7. Franz Demonte INCOFIL TECH SRL, Cirè (TN), Via degli Artigiani 52, 38057, Italy
  8. Daniele Peila DIATI, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 20, 10129, Italy

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References

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