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Integrated approach to evaluate unstable rocky slopes: case study of Aqabat Al-Sulbat road in Aseer Province, Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

In this applied research work, the risk of rock instability in the Aqabat Al-Sulbat road section located in the north-west area of Aseer Province in Saudi Arabia was evaluated, and the primary natural trigger factors of rock slope instability on further environmental components (rock slope stability, road network, and urban areas) were estimated using satellite images (Landsat8), digital terrain models, and geoprocessing in geographical information systems software (classification, overlapping algorithms and production thematic mapping in Arctoolbox). Additionally, field geotechnical investigations testing and over-coring drilling sampling allowed the characterization of the section of road in terms of geological structure and environmental components (geology, morphology, road network, lineaments, and hydrology). As a result, rock slope instability vulnerability mapping was simulated using satellite imagery and geographical information systems (GIS) and ranking natural trigger factors using the combined fuzzy Delphi analytical hierarchic process with the technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) as multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques. Additionally, many rock layer discontinuity stations were implemented to evaluate rock slope instabilities, and these were visualized using the Dips program and combined with modeling using 3DEC software to predict rock slope failure based on the distinct element method (DEM) at a small scale. Thereafter, safety factors were computed depending on these previous geospatial data. Finally, vulnerability index mapping was combined with rock instability risk mapping for the Aqabat Al-Sulbat road. Within the framework of sustainable development, these results can be used to inform the urban planning of the municipality of Aseer Province.

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Data were obtained from the published research over the literature and can be provided as per request from the authors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the efforts of the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University and also the Deanship of Scientific Research at Qassim University for funding the publication of this project and the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University for financing this applied research. In addition, the authors thank “Emarite of Aseer Province” which supported this present work. Also, special thanks to the “Ministry of Transportation” represented by the General Directorate of Transportation of Aseer Province, which provided all documents concerning the site of the Aqabat Al-Sulbat road section, in particular, geotechnical investigations, and field testing internal reports. Moreover, we thank the Dean and Vice Dean of Scientific Research in the College of Engineering of King Khalid University who encouraged the research team and his administrative follow-up to accomplish this research.

Funding

This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University under the Grant number RGP.1/372/42.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia

    Khaled Mohamed Khedher, Mohamed Hechmi El Ouni, Nabil Ben Kahla, Saeed Alqadhi & Majed AlSubih

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, High Institute of Technological Studies, Mrezgua University Campus, 8000, Nabeul, Tunisia

    Khaled Mohamed Khedher

  3. Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia

    Zaher Munther Yaseen

  4. New Era and Development in Civil Engineering Research Group, Scientific Research Center, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, 64001, Iraq

    Zaher Munther Yaseen

  5. Department of Geography, College of Arts, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Mofareh D. Qoradi

  6. Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technologies of Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia

    Mohamed Hechmi El Ouni

  7. Company of Phosphate Gafsa and Mediterranean University, 14-16 Rue Mohamed Badra, Montplaisir, 1073, Tunis, Tunisia

    Essaied Laatar

  8. National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, 11421, Cairo, Egypt

    Samah Elbarbary & Mohamed Abdel Zaher

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  1. Khaled Mohamed Khedher
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Contributions

All the authors contributed equally to this research work.

Khaled Mohamed Khedher: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Zaher Munther Yaseen: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources.

Mofareh D. Qoradi: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Mohamed Hechmi El Ouni: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Nabil Ben Kahla: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Saeed Alqadhi: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Majed AlSubih: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Essaied Laatar: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Samah Elbarbary: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Mohamed Abdel Zaher: data curation, formal analysis, methodology, investigation, visualization, writing (original draft, review and editing draft preparation), resources, software.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zaher Munther Yaseen.

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Khedher, K.M., Yaseen, Z.M., Qoradi, M.D. et al. Integrated approach to evaluate unstable rocky slopes: case study of Aqabat Al-Sulbat road in Aseer Province, Saudi Arabia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 60712–60732 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20130-3

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