A study on the causes of some rock slope failures along highways in Taiwan

Geographically, the terrain of the island of Taiwan is mountainous; many highways cut across hillsides of soft rock formation. In the last few years, numerous rock slope failures occurred along highways causing serious obstruction to traffic and sometimes loss of life. The causes of failures can be grouped as: (1) types of geological formations (2) heavy rainstorms inducing high pore water pressures in the soil or rock formations (3) reduction of strength and swelling of soft rocks due to adsorption of water (4) weathering of unprotected or inadequately protected slope surface (5) improper design and/or construction. Generally, a slope failure may be attributed to one or a combination of several of the above mentioned causes. This paper presents a detailed discussion on these causes of failure with particular emphasis on the sandstone- shale formation commonly occurred in Taiwan. Several case studies of rock slope sliding are reported (a).

• Authors:
  • Woo, S M
  • Moh, Z -
  • Yu, K
  • Guo, W S
• Conference:
  • Conference of Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia, 3rd, 1981, Taipei, Taiwan
• Publication Date: 1981-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 761-77
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the third conference of Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia. volume 1
• Serial:
  • Volume: 1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Failure; Landslides; Rain; Rocks; Sandstones; Shale; Slope stability; Weathering
• Geographic Terms: Taiwan
• ATRI Terms: Case study; Failure; Landslide; Rain; Rock; Sandstone; Shale; Slope stability; Weathering
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01438121
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 24 2012 9:23PM