EC7 design approach for debris flow flexible barriers: Applicability and limitations

Flexible barriers have recently been used, especially in small basins, to control and mitigate debris flow risk. The complexity of the flow dynamics together with the lack of detailed knowledge about their mechanism of impact against defence structures make the design of these structures very complex and with high uncertainty level. Since these protection structures can be considered geotechnical countermeasures, is it possible to design them following the Eurocode 7 criteria? Which parameters and, consequently, partial factors have to be considered for short and long term design situations? Which are the uncertainties that affect this process? The purpose of this article is to try answering these questions and to furnish a new discussion topic in the perspective of the rewrite of Eurocodes. An analysis in the framework of EC7 has been conducted on a hypothetical flexible barrier exposed to debris flow phenomenon. A critique review of the geotechnical parameters useful for the design have been done considering interval analysis.