Effect of the anchoring pattern on the mechanical behavior of anchored mesh systems

Anchored mesh systems constitute a widely adopted protective mitigation measure against rockfall, particularly suitable for highly weathered sub-vertical rock face These systems are composed of steel wire mesh panels combined with a regular anchoring pattern. In this work, we investigate by means of discrete element simulations the mechanical behavior of the mesh with the commonly adopted quincunx-like (or diamond) anchoring pattern, comparing with what we have already found for the square pattern. The effects of the loading condition and the mesh system properties on the out-of-plane response of the system are evaluated and ana-lytical relationships for quantifying the mesh punching resistance and maximum deflection are proposed. The results allow quick assessment of the suitability of the design choices and provide an insight on the force transmission paths during the loading of the mesh system.