Railway Ground Hazard Research Program Update: Rock Slope Hazard Assessment

ABSTRACT: Rock slope stability assessment is enhanced by the collection and interpretation of remotely sensed data from both terrestrial and aerial sources. Analysis of the data at the network scale, using airborne data, permits us to identify large natural slopes which may be the source of rock failures onto the infrastructure below. Focusing in on these slopes, using higher resolution, sequential data sets, generates a wealth of information which can be used to assess stability, including: identification of rock slope failure events, back analysis of rockmass conditions including failure mode identification, consideration of deformation rate and style prior to failure, block shape, volume and failure surface analysis, and triggering events. Similar analyses are done to characterize the hazard created by active talus slopes. The outcomes of this work can be used as case histories to calibrate rockfall models which will in future be used to assess potential hazards as they arise, and to focus rock slope hazard management activities.