ROCK SUPPORT IN VÍCAR, ALMERÍA
Illustrative Sketch of the Support System
Excavation of the Support System from the Inside
Detail of the Upper Anchoring
Detail of the Lower Anchors
Drilling of the Lower Anchors
Excavation of the Support System Viewed from the Outside
Problem
Kimitec Group is a business group in the fields of agriculture and biotechnology located in Vícar, Almería.
This company needed to dismantle a rock formation on its premises to lower the elevation of the site in relation to the neighboring site. To carry out this dismantling safely, it was necessary to implement support measures to prevent any blocks from detaching and reaching the neighboring building.
The rock formation that was stabilized measures approximately 16 meters in height and 100 meters in length, and is composed of blocks of varying sizes.
Solution
To address this problem, the following support measures were implemented:
- LEA 300-8 cable net with a tensile strength of 130 kN/m and a puncture resistance of 204 kN, to secure the blocks between the anchors.
- MacMat 6822 GN geomat to prevent the release of small fragments and fines.
- A grid of bolts, spaced 3 meters horizontally (3H) and 3 meters vertically (3V), to secure the support from below.
- ICAF 44 D14 flexible anchors, 5 meters in length, to secure the support from above.
In the intermediate and lower sections, the cable net and MacMat are secured with Gewi-type bolts.
In the upper section, the support is secured with cables anchored to the ICAF 44 flexible cable anchors.
In this way, as excavation progresses, the upper cables can be tensioned to maintain the system taut at all times.