Special civil engineering above the clouds
September 17, 2025 | Moritz Glück
At 2,571 meters, the Edelweißspitze marks the highest point on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and offers a unique panoramic view of 37 three-thousand-meter peaks. As a result of erosion and persistent rainwater, the slope had already slipped down by up to two meters in places over the years. In order to ensure the safety of the historic panoramic road in the long term, the team from Felbermayr Spezialtiefbau contributed their many years of expertise.
Challenge in the high mountains
“We work here at over 2,500 meters above sea level in rocky terrain with a slope of just under 40 degrees — every move must be right and every step must be carefully considered,” is how site manager Johann Bugelnig describes the demanding working conditions. The embankment protection elements were positioned off-road using a walking excavator, partly on unpaved debris. “In addition to physically demanding work in high alpine terrain, logistics in particular was a central issue. The transport of materials to the construction site and the lifting of the shielding elements on the slope had to be precisely coordinated and implemented under increased safety measures,” adds site manager Florian Haller.
Technical implementation of slope stabilization
The assembled shielding elements consist of a flexible steel structure with a floor area of 2.00 by 2.50 meters. Two intersecting steel beams are connected via a central plate on which the central rod is mounted. Steel cables also tighten the structure so that the forces that occur are diverted into the load-bearing ground via the built-in anchors. A total of 850 linear meters of injection anchors were installed. These self-drilling hollow rod anchors are filled with injection mortar via a pipe system and ensure optimum power transfer.
In addition to the shielding elements, the specialists erected a shotconcrete beam, which was positioned below an existing rock protection. “The reinforced shotconcrete wall, combined with the embankment protection elements, significantly increases the overall stability of the slope,” explains Haller. In addition to sustainable stability, the system offers two advantages in particular: relatively easy installation and low backfill material requirements. These are both decisive aspects in hard-to-reach terrain. Thanks to the compact design, the shielding elements can be precisely fitted directly on site and assembled in a short time. “Despite the extreme conditions, the embankment protection was completed on time. Projects like this show that, with experience, team spirit and technical know-how, we create unique and individual solutions where others reach their limits,” summarizes Bugelnig. With the completion of the work, the Edelweissspitze remains a topographic and safe highlight of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road — and an example of how Felbermayr specialist civil engineering brings precision and performance up to the highest altitudes.
In order to protect the Grossglockner High Alpine Road from landslide, the specialist civil engineering experts carried out measures to stabilize the embankment.
