Adding a Berm

Berms can be added in the Design mode. Berms can be added in either of the following ways:

• Select: Berms > Add Berm
• Select the Add Berm option from the toolbar

Selecting Add Berm will open the Berm Designer Dialog. Here, the berm name, properties, shape, and dimensions can be specified.

RocFall offers three different options for berm geometry: triangular berms, trapezoidal (embankment) berms, and custom berm shapes. Triangular berms require that the user define the front and back face angles, as well as the berm height (measured from the first slope point). Trapezoidal (embankment) berms require the top width and triangular shape's inputs. For custom berms, the coordinates are relative to the first point. The first point is always set at (0, 0). Coordinates for custom berm shapes can be entered manually or entered from *.dxf or *.csv files. The user must specify how the berm endpoint meets the slope (Close Berm Polyline option); the berm endpoint can either be extended vertically down (Vertical) or extended to follow the last segment’s angle (Extend Last Segment), based on user selection. The same berm geometry definition can be used more than once on the slope, with minor differences in the endpoint locations due to slope variation.

Once the berm has been defined, selecting OK in the Berm Designer dialog will close the dialog. An outline of the berm will appear on the slope, prompting the user to select a location. The berm can be placed by clicking at any valid location on the slope, or by entering coordinates in the prompt window (bottom right corner of the screen). Selecting a location on the slope using the cursor is facilitated by enabling Snap options (right-click when in Add Berm mode); this allows the lead point of the berm to snap to previously defined vertices on the slope.

You can change the lead point to be the last point of the berm vertices by right-clicking on the screen before placing the berm. This helps if you want to place a berm at the edge of a left-to-right bench. Note that “Snap to Last Point” will be enabled by default if you make that selection for one berm. If you want to change back to snap to the first point, right-click before you place the new berm and deselect the option in the pop-up menu.