Rock slope pre-failure deformation database for improved transportation corridor risk management

摘要

Linear transportation corridors are often exposed to a variety of landslide types, including rockfall and rock slide failures. In western Canada, these failures create one of the highest hazards for safe railway operation. In this study we begin the construction of a database of pre-failure slope deformation based on TLS monitoring of high rockfall activity sites along a railway corridor in western Canada. At an initial study site, we observed the majority of the rockfall events were preceded by detectable pre-failure deformation; and that most of the failures occurred during periods dominated by freeze-thaw cycles. This database can be used to understand failure probabilities of detected deforming areas and thus help risk management by better allocating maintenance resources and to reduce exposure to rockfall events. This database will also provide clues to the relationships between magnitude of failure and pre-failure deformation duration and intensity.