Debris barrier design using energy-balance techniques

The design of structures that are intended to protect inhabited areas and infrastructure from debris mass movement events poses particular challenges. The impact of a debris flow places an energy demand on the structure and traditional quasi-static design approaches are limited by the arbitrary selection of dynamic impact factors. For debris barrier design, an energy-balance approach, that equates the internal work of the structural elements to the kinetic energy of impact, is appropriate. Two recent flexible grillage debris barrier projects near the Resort Municipality of Whistler illustrate the application of this technique.