Researchers throw concrete blocks down Swiss mountain

Researchers are rolling huge chunks of concrete down the slope on the Weissfluhjoch near Davos in eastern Switzerland for scientific purposes. They use them to collect data for a computer model that simulates rockfall. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The model predicts how far a rock will travel down into the valley after it has come loose somewhere, the Davos-based Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) said on Thursday. The computer models are used by authorities and geologists to create hazard maps, among other things. They therefore help to determine where and how buildings can be constructed to ensure protection against rockfall and where protective structures are required for existing infrastructure. + The deadliest landslides in Swiss history With this experiment, the researchers led by SLF rockfall expert Joël Borner want to find out how rocks and boulders fall on rough ground, how they move and how they are deflected by obstacles.