For this project, I worked with my collaborators to create an easy-to-use map‑based tool to estimate where mountainous roads might fail and result in long-runout debris flows. Using detailed 3D ground scans (LiDAR), we calculated how steep each section of highway fill was and combined that with automated, video reconnaissance of the roadway.
The result is a map that shows at a glance which sections of roadway have a higher probability of failing than other stretches of the road.
In putting this together, I made sure the moderately-complex GIS process and data scripts were wrapped up in my published Master’s thesis. However, for this journal article I ensured those details were sufficiently summarized and represented to satisfy the rigors of peer-review. I wrote every section with a mixed audience of geological, geographical, and engineering readers in mind.
The key takeaways and practical recommendations give transportation managers an accessible, reproducible method to improve scheduling of inspections and prevent catastrophic damage from probable road collapses in mountainous terrain.
Reference: Sas et al. (2008), Environmental & Engineering Geoscience 14(3):221–229, DOI 10.2113/GSEEGEOSCI.14.3.221
