Stability appraisal of road cut slopes along a strategic transportation route in the Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

In precarious mountain terrains like the Himalayas, road cut slopes are highly vulnerable to slope failures. Slope failures in the region are often triggered by natural factors such as neotectonism, rainfall, seismicity, weathering, erosion, etc. However, rapid human intervention is an additional factor causing large-scale slope instability in the region. Unplanned excavations of slopes for construction and/or widening of roads decrease slope stability. The inevitable slope failures cause major inconvenience to tourists and residents and are also responsible for severe injuries and loss of lives and property. The present study incorporates a stability analysis of road cut slopes along National Highway 58 (NH-58) from Kaliyasaur to Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. Vulnerable slopes were identified during the field survey. To evaluate stability conditions of rock mass, rock mass classification systems including rock mass rating (RMR), continuous slope mass rating and the Geological Strength Index (GSI) were employed to identify different stability grades. Furthermore, quantified GSI was correlated with basic RMR in a bivariate plot, which showed a linear relationship. Kinematic analysis was also carried out to identify the probability of structurally controlled failures due to adversely oriented discontinuities. Outcomes from different methods corroborated each other and matched the existing site conditions.

Assessment of Landslide susceptibility and risk implication to road network in Mt Elgon, Uganda

“…This is consistent with the ndings by Kubwimana et al Yifru (2015) observed that poor road slope cut design experienced high landslide occurrences in Dominica in Caribbean Islands. The increase of the slope steepness and the undermining of support along the base of the slopes such as that due to the construction of roads may reduce the safety factor and augment the chances of a landslide occurrence in the absence of any mitigation measures (Siddique and Khan, 2019;Tsangaratoset et al, 2017). In this regard as well, Islam et al (2017) stresses the need for geotechnical studies before any risk reduction measures for mitigating landslides.…”

Role of transportation infrastructures on the alteration of hillslope and fluvial geomorphology

“…As a result, in the immediate downslope of the outlet initiation of gullies is a common problem for hillslope. The cut-and-fill works also significantly altered the hillsides, causing instability in hillslope debris flow, and inducing landslide hazard (Harabinová, 2017; Siddique and Khan, 2019; Figure 5e). Such problems arise more often in the hilly regions of Himalayan (Agarwal and Dixit, 1986) and Oregon’s Cascade Range (Jones et al, 2000) during the rainy season.…”

A district-level vulnerability assessment of next COVID-19 variant (Omicron BA.2) in Uttarakhand using quantitative SWOT analysis

“…There is a vast altitudinal variation giving rise to distinctive microclimates at over short distances (Joshi et al, 2018 ). The transportation infrastructure is poorly developed under the physiological restrictions and rail network is extremely limited (Siddique & Khan, 2019 ). Cool climate coupled with picturesque beauty compels tourist inflow increasing potential infections while undermined health infrastructure under the effect of compromised infrastructure makes the situation gloomy; however, there are 141 hospitals in the state as identified on the maps developed by Government of Uttarakhand.…”