INVESTIGATION OF THE LONG TERM STABILITY OF HIGHWAY SLOPES: PHASE III

Norman Dennis, Ph.D., P.E.
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Arkansas
4190 Bell Engineering Center
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone: (479)575-2933
Fax: (479)575-7168
ndennis@uark.edu

August 18, 1999 - November 30, 2001

This proposal is for the second phase of a three-phase research program. The overall objective of the research program is to implement a reliability-based approach to the design and maintenance of highway slopes. The specific objectives to be accomplished are as follows:

  1. Develop a protocol for the creation of a GIS-type database, using Intergraph as the GIS engine

  2. Gather information on a sufficient number of slope failures that have the necessary geometric, environmental and material property descriptions to make them useful in analysis

  3. Begin the creation of a slope failure hazard zonation map for the state of Arkansas

  4. Evaluate the correlations between failures and all ocntributing factors in an attempt to develop appropriate levels of reliability for various slope conditions

  5. Develop guidelines for a reliability-based approach for the design and maintenance of highway slopes

Phase III of this program will concentrate on objectives (2), (3), (4) and (5).

TRB Keywords:  Slope stability, reliability, soil variability.

Product:  In Progress (MBTC-2006)