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Slope Stability Analysis of Road Cut Slopes Using Limit Equilibrium Method in Kumaun Lesser Himalayan Belt

Authors:
Rajesh Singh at University of Lucknow
Rajesh Singh
Rahul Kumar Verma at Indian Institute of Technology Patna
Rahul Kumar Verma
Prateek Sharma at University of Lucknow
Prateek Sharma
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Abstract

The tectonic and anthropogenic activity in lesser Himalayas made it prone to Landslides. Living beings, all development projects such as the construction of highways, tunnels, dams, bridges, etc., and tourism in hilly areas are affected by landslides. The landslides occur in different forms which include rockfall, road subsidence, and complete slope failure. The majority of landslides occur during monsoon time due to the saturation of rock mass; the resistance force decreases than the driving force and the slope is being unstable. Therefore, identification, recognition, characterization, and zonation of blocks or debris, plays vital role in the study of slope stability. The slope stability analysis using a conventional method like the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) directly depends on the geological conditions of the slope mass. The FoS calculated by this method should be more precise. The present study focuses on the Limit Equilibrium Method in Lesser Himalayan road cut slopes. The Factor of Safety was estimated for two critical slopes based on the Mohr–Coulomb criteria. Finally, the mitigation and remedial measures are suggested for identified vulnerable slopes.
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Chapter 12
Slope Stability Analysis of Road Cut
Slopes Using Limit Equilibrium Method
in Kumaun Lesser Himalayan Belt
Rajesh Singh, Rahul Kumar Verma, and Prateek Sharma
Abstract The tectonic and anthropogenic activity in lesser Himalayas made it prone
to Landslides. Living beings, all development projects such as the construction of
highways, tunnels, dams, bridges, etc., and tourism in hilly areas are affected by
landslides. The landslides occur in different forms which include rockfall, road subsi-
dence, and complete slope failure. The majority of landslides occur during monsoon
time due to the saturation of rock mass; the resistance force decreases than the driving
force and the slope is being unstable. Therefore, identification, recognition, character-
ization, and zonation of blocks or debris, plays vital role in the study of slope stability.
The slope stability analysis using a conventional method like the Limit Equilibrium
Method (LEM) directly depends on the geological conditions of the slope mass. The
FoS calculated by this method should be more precise. The present study focuses on
the Limit Equilibrium Method in Lesser Himalayan road cut slopes. The Factor of
Safety was estimated for two critical slopes based on the Mohr–Coulomb criteria.
Finally, the mitigation and remedial measures are suggested for identified vulnerable
slopes.
Keywords Limit equilibrium method ·Factor of safety ·Slope stability ·Road
cut slopes
12.1 Introduction
The mountainous area faces Landslide hazards due to various triggering factors like
Earthquakes, rainfall, and anthropogenic factors such as the widening of roads, and
the construction of dams, bridges, and tunnels (Verma et al. 2021a, b; Onagh et al.
2012a, b; Rai et al. 2014;Mishraetal.
2021; Rai et al. 2021; Singh et al. 2021; Sur et al.
2021; Rai et al. 2022). The construction and widening of roads are very important
R. Singh · R. K. Verma (B
) · P. S h a rma
Rock Science and Rock Engineering Laboratory, Department of Geology, University of Lucknow,
Lucknow-226007, India
e-mail: getrahul9@gmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024
P. K. Raietal. (eds.), Natural Resources Management and Sustainable Livelihoods
in the Mountainous Region, Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2100-9_12
219
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