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Development of a slope failure database for Alabama highways

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Abstract

Slope stability management systems (SSMSs) have been developed by multiple state transportation agencies to assess landslides adjacent to highways and aide in the effective allocation of resources for slope and/or roadway repairs. SSMSs catalog and analyze slope failures through the use of three main components: a landslide data collection system, a geographic information systems (GIS) database, and a hazard prioritization system. The components form a landslide management system used for the identification or prediction of landslide risk areas and the determination of landslide hazards to motorists. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has not previously employed a SSMS, which limits the ability of ALDOT engineers and geologists to effectively manage landslide hazards along highways. This paper discusses the development of a landslide collection system and database developed to improve the ability of ALDOT to identify common causes and locations of slope failures along Alabama highways. The collected data were converted into a GIS database, which allows for correlations between landslides and additional spatial data, such as average precipitation and surface geology. This paper presents a brief review of similar SMSSs, reviews the proposed database, and discusses preliminary observations. The data collected from this study can be used to identify common causes of landslides along Alabama highways and select efficient remediation options.

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Acknowledgements

The ALDOT Materials and Tests Bureau assisted with the data collection and database design. Kristy Harris (FHWA) and Ken Kohnke (ALDOT), along with Jessica Suarez, Michael Kiernan, Chao Shi, and Mengwei Xuan (Auburn University) assisted with collecting information for the database. This paper is based on a study supported by ALDOT (Project 930-931). The first author also received support from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering Woltosz Fellowship. This assistance and support is gratefully acknowledged. Any opinions, findings, or recommendations expressed herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the above organizations or individuals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Freese and Nichols, 360 Interstate North Parkway Suite 250, Atlanta, GA, 30339, USA

    Michelle J. Knights

  2. Civil Engineering Department, Auburn University, 238 Harbert Center, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Jack Montgomery & Patricia S. Carcamo

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  1. Michelle J. Knights
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  2. Jack Montgomery
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  3. Patricia S. Carcamo
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Correspondence to Jack Montgomery.

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Knights, M.J., Montgomery, J. & Carcamo, P.S. Development of a slope failure database for Alabama highways. Bull Eng Geol Environ 79, 423–438 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-019-01543-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-019-01543-w

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