A methodology for road cutting design guidelines based on field observations

Robson, Ellen; Agosti, Andrea; Utili, Stefano; Milledge, David

doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2022.106771

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…While field observations have revealed that soil cut heights are drastically smaller in the LRN than in the SRN. Therefore, there is an urgent need for user-friendly guidelines based on geotechnical characterizations for rural road engineers (Robson et al 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These guidelines eliminate the need for detailed numerical analysis of each slope in well-engineered roads. However, low to mid-level technicians (Overseers and Sub-Overseers in Nepal) could struggle to use published stability charts/guidelines, an alternative to detailed numerical analyses, due to a lack of understanding of geotechnical engineering (Robson et al 2022). Therefore, the development of road excavation guidelines based on simplified field characterizations of geotechnical parameters and other easily identifiable data like ground cross-slope is invariably important for low-cost road construction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sustainable rural infrastructure: guidelines for roadside slope excavation

Paudyal

Dahal

Bhandari

et al. 2023

Geoenviron Disasters

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The construction of non-engineered, equipment-based rural roads in Nepal Himalaya is one of the predominant causes of landslides. The construction frequency of such roads has significantly increased over the past decade. However, the present guidelines governing slope excavation for these roads are not based on geotechnical characterizations of sites. The current study uses the limit equilibrium method with the Mohr–Coulomb constitutive model to determine safe cut heights and slopes for varying geometric and material parameters. GeoStudio Slope/W was used to model soil slopes with various gradients, and cuts with varying depths and slope angles were modeled to calculate the factor of safety (FoS) against shear failure for different geometric and material conditions. The results of the study were visualized in design charts with FoS as the dependent variable. The analysis highlights the importance of different parameters, i.e., excavation depth, excavation slope, and existing ground slope in the FoS, in addition to the slope-forming material. Furthermore, a field study was carried out to validate the model using the clustering approach. The results from the field are similar to those from the numerical model, although some additional site-specific parameters like vegetation cover and surface runoff conditions should be considered before selecting the cut slope. Finally, this study proposes that future road construction guidelines should consider terrain parameters, hydrology, and geotechnical site conditions to promote sustainable road infrastructure and reduce future disaster risks in the Himalayan region.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable rural infrastructure: guidelines for roadside slope excavation

Paudyal

Dahal

Bhandari

et al. 2023

Geoenviron Disasters

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A Computationally Efficient Method to Determine the Probability of Rainfall-Triggered Cut Slope Failure Accounting for Upslope Hydrological Conditions

Robson,

Milledge,

Utili

et al. 2023

Rock Mech Rock Eng

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We present a new computationally efficient methodology to estimate the probability of rainfall-induced slope failure based on mechanical probabilistic slope stability analyses coupled with a hydrogeological model of the upslope area. The model accounts for: (1) uncertainty of geotechnical and hydrogeological parameters; (2) rainfall precipitation recorded over a period of time; and (3) the effect of upslope topography. The methodology provides two key outputs: (1) time-varying conditional probability of slope failure; and (2) an estimate of the absolute frequency of slope failure over any time period of interest. The methodology consists of the following steps: first, characterising the uncertainty of the slope geomaterial strength parameters; second, performing limit equilibrium method stability analyses for the realisations of the geomaterial strength parameters required to calculate the slope probability of failure by a Monte Carlo Simulation. The stability analyses are performed for various phreatic surface heights. These phreatic surfaces are then matched to a phreatic surface time series obtained from the 1D Hillslope-Storage Boussinesq model run for the upslope area to generate Factor of Safety (FoS) time series. A time-varying conditional probability of failure and an absolute frequency of slope failure can then be estimated from these FoS time series. We demonstrate this methodology on a road slope cutting in Nepal where geotechnical tests are not readily conducted. We believe this methodology improves the reliability of slope safety estimates where site investigation is not possible. Also, the methodology enables practitioners to avoid making unrealistic assumptions on the hydrological input. Finally, we find that the time-varying failure probability shows marked variations over time as a result of the monsoon wet–dry weather.

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New RMRb–CoSMR plot: a graphical tool to interpret the continuous paired dataset of RMRb and CoSMR of adjacent road cut slopes

Thakur

Dhiman

2023

Environ Earth Sci

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A methodology for road cutting design guidelines based on field observations

Cited by 5 publications

References 42 publications

Sustainable rural infrastructure: guidelines for roadside slope excavation

Sustainable rural infrastructure: guidelines for roadside slope excavation

A Computationally Efficient Method to Determine the Probability of Rainfall-Triggered Cut Slope Failure Accounting for Upslope Hydrological Conditions

New RMRb–CoSMR plot: a graphical tool to interpret the continuous paired dataset of RMRb and CoSMR of adjacent road cut slopes

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