Approved Supplier: Maccaferri

Maccaferri Rockfall Protection Systems

Rockfall protection mitigation systems are key elements in the security and safety of infrastructure, quarries, buildings or people. Even relatively minor rockfalls, or debris flows are capable of disrupting the operation of infrastructure and can have far-reaching economic and other effects.

Maccaferri with over 60 years’ experience, offers both active systems to stabilise rock faces and soil slopes and passive systems to overcome hydro-geological problems such as detachment of rock boulders, debris flows and shallow landslides.

Developed in cooperation with specialist geotechnical contractors such as Vertical Access to ensure safety and buildability, their wide range of rockfall protections and natural hazard mitigation systems are certified and tested by leading institutes in accordance with the latest standards using state of-the-art modelling software and techniques.

Whenever possible Maccaferri undertake full-scale testing at the company test facilities, this aims to model real-world situations and load conditions as closely as possible. The combination of the performance data determined from these tests has been included within their design software Mac S-Design and MacRo suite. Their design service is complemented by early warning systems specifically designed and developed for their natural hazard mitigation systems. Vertical Access works closely with Maccaferri technical personnel and their design service to ensure that the most appropriate systems and products are used in any soil slope or rock face stabilisation project.  

Rockfall drapery or simple drapery systems are installed on rock slopes to contain loose and falling debris. This rockfall hazard can be a danger to any infrastructure or installations at the base of these slopes.

Maccaferri systems literally “drapes” over the rock slope so that falling debris is contained behind the rockfall netting utilising double twist rockfall drapery mesh - Maccaferri DT. They also offer more advanced drapery systems that combine the flexibility of double twist mesh and high tensile wire ropes in a single, easy-to-install, product – Maccaferri HEA High Energy Absorption Mesh Panels.

The rockfall drapery systems are tested by a leading university and certified according to international standards. Engineered to withstand the most aggressive environmental conditions, their drapery systems use PoliMac, an innovative coating made of a compound of different polymers to maximise the product durability.

A key aspect of our drapery systems is that they are engineered to minimise the need for onsite activities thus cutting installation costs and reducing operatives’ exposure to risks.

Maccaferri DT Mesh is a core component of their MacRO rockfall mitigation and natural hazard protection application area. It is one out of a range of mesh systems that are selected according to their analysis of the project site conditions and client requirements.

Used for over 50 years,  DT Mesh is engineered from double twisted hexagonal woven steel wire and is used as a drapery system to prevent rocks and debris from falling onto roads and railways. Due to the characteristics of the double twist, the steel wire mesh can withstand the punching force of falling rocks and without unravelling in the event of wire breakage.

DT Mesh is made from high quality steel wire, which is galvanised to provide long term corrosion protection. An additional protective polymeric coating is also applied for meshes that are to be used in more aggressive environments, or where a longer design life is required.

Vertical Access has installed DT Mesh [ formerly called P8/2.7 ] using rock anchors & soil nails on over 40 sites on railway, commercial & private development sites, residential locations including Runcorn East Cutting [ 7,500m2 ], Kitsonwood [ 1,000m2 ], Runcorn Station Cutting [ 6,200m2 ] & Dore South [ 11,000m2 ]

Erosion Control – MakmatR  &  BioMac  

The earths’ soil is a key component of biodiversity and is fundamental in storing and releasing carbon and maintaining the balance of gasses in the atmosphere. Soil erosion is the wearing away of topsoil and it can be caused by wetting and drying forces from wind, rain and gravity. Protecting vulnerable soils through stabilisation has become a priority in many sectors including transport, agriculture, marine & coastal protection to restoration after natural disasters.

Maccaferri have extensive experience in developing nature inclusive solutions that prevent soil erosion while promoting vegetation growth. The company’s engineered solutions reduce the risk of damage to transport and other infrastructure caused by superficial landslides and at the same time act as a first, naturalistic, protection barrier against slope instability. These solutions have been extensively used to mitigate the risk of soil slump in landfill capping and other applications in which a layer of soil is placed onto a surface with low friction angle.

Over the years, Maccaferri has been working along with some of the most prominent universities at international level to develop a graded, logical range of sustainable erosion control products and drainage techniques. With this expertise and strong manufacturing base, they can explore solutions to clients’ soil instability problems, so that the level of intervention is appropriate to the erosion risk encountered. Moreover, their specific design software provides client support on the selection of the most effective solution for their project needs.

All natural slopes are subject to the forces of erosion, whether the slope has been recently formed as part of new development, or is in its original natural state, some form of erosion protection may be required. Maccaferri erosion protection solutions offer a range of erosion protection solutions to suit the slope and severity of erosion forces expected. Most of these products are also designed to facilitate the re-establishment of vegetation on the slope.

Given the unpredictable nature of vegetation growth it is not always possible to rely upon vegetation growth alone as it is extremely difficult to achieve 100% coverage, leaving exposed areas vulnerable to erosion. Furthermore, vegetation can die back or become diseased, reducing the erosion control capability.

The key is protecting and increasing the soil’s resistance using a wide range of erosion protection mats to increase the soil’s resistance to erosion by providing immediate protection of exposed areas from the direct effects of wind and rainfall impact; protecting seeded topsoil from washing out before vegetation has established.

The products that promote sustainable vegetation where a natural vegetated slope is required cannot be achieved by simply placing top soil on a sterile slope. This often results in the topsoil layers being found to be slumped at the base of newly constructed slopes or washed away. The erosion mats, biodegradable BioMac® and the permanent geomat MacMat® provide cost-effective methods of retaining both soil and moisture on the slope, thereby promoting sustainable vegetation for long-term erosion protection.

MacMatR

This reinforced geomat is a composite where the 3D mat structure is embedded into a reinforcement that can be either a double twisted steel mesh or a synthetic geogrid. This composite is comparable to the erosion control properties of a mat while preserving the reinforcement properties of a synthetic/metallic reinforcement. The different types of reinforcement provide additional and particular performances. For this reason, this composite can provide very high tensile strengths and high stiffness (especially relevant for soil nailing applications) and is therefore able to satisfy a huge variety of multi-functional tasks.

BioMac

Biomaterials are made of natural fibres (jute, straw, core, sisal and so on) and are assembled to form a flat structure. The structures can be an open mesh shape as well as a closed one, where the fibres are placed between two containment layer. The materials are relatively deformable to be able to be laid on the soil; also these solutions are only temporary considering the non-durable raw material used and they are mostly applied to protect the soil while waiting for the vegetation growth.

Vertical Access has installed MakMatR & Bio Mats on over 30 sites using soil nailing or rock anchors  on railway, highways, commercial & private development sites, housing & residential locations including Chorley South Cutting [ 10,000m2 ] BHIC [ 600m2 ] & Pimbo [ 700m2 ].

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Maccaferri also supply a number of products that provide opportunities to stabilise slope and natural structures which can be installed by Vertical Access, these include:

• Retaining Walls & Soil Reinforcement

• Terramesh – Wire Gabions

• Green Terramesh – Vegetated Facing System  

• Mineral Terramesh – Architectural

• Reno Mattresses Plus – Marine & Hydraulic Protection System