Analysis of Corrective Actions for Highway Landslides

A semirational approach to the correction of highway landslide problems is presented in this paper. Only those failures involving earth movements are considered, and their analysis varies from methods described by some authorities in that (1) the landslide classification system is based on the mechanics of the movements; (2) a more general use of basic mechanics is made in estimating the effectiveness of a corrective measure; (3) a suggestion is made that there is more than one method for controlling a given earth movement; ( 4) the problem is primarily described as economic rather than academic; and (5) the statement is made that the determination of the mechanics of a landslide is more important than “the” cause. It is concluded that there is a need for a rational approach to the analysis of highway landslides and that that approach should have a scientific basis. It is also concluded that most corrective measures can be checked for stability by the use of a formula of the form used to determine the safety factor in soil mechanics. The proposed analysis is considered semirational, and for its general application, extensive development and observations are still necessary.