As a transportation asset manager, one of your worst bad days is to receive an alert that a slope collapsed on one of your roadways. This treacherous situation can result in fatalities and/or roadway closures and require significant expenditures to repair.
Put a plan in place to help prevent this bad day scenario from happening in the first place. Keep your slopes maintained and safe with a proactive management plan from PILLAR. In 2023, our team helped one DOT implement a slide prevention program by identifying over 15,000 square yards of slopes requiring stabilization BEFORE disaster struck — and our cutting-edge collection methods can help your agency do the same.
The Issue
Engineered slopes can become unstable over time from weather events, erosion and other factors. Stabilization counters these issues, protecting their long-term viability and preventing rockslides and other slope failures.
Slope stabilization includes a number of implemented techniques designed to remedy an unstable or inadequately stable slope. The purpose is to increase the Factor of Safety of a slope to a level that is considered adequate.
Stabilization methods vary depending on the slope, its location, and surround environment.
The Solution
PILLAR’s proactive slope erosion mitigation planning offers thorough evaluation and remediation. Our approach includes:
Site assessment and engineering analysis. We combine the technology of Mobile LiDAR with on-the-ground manual inspection to evaluate the geological and hydrological characteristics of your slopes. Through this, our professionals can identify any potential instability triggers, such as rainfall, snowmelt, earthquakes, or human activities. Where needed, we will test the soil and rock properties for cohesion, friction and strength as well as assess the groundwater conditions. This gives you a complete and accurate picture of your slope.
Scaling. Removing loose or potentially unstable material improves the geography of a slope. Scaling is an efficient way to prevent rockslides on natural or newly created slopes and can be conducted regularly as part of routine maintenance. Scaling methods include hand or mechanical scaling or by small scale blasting, also known as trim blasting.
Structural measures. Reinforcement systems such as retaining walls, soil nails, micropiles, rock bolts and shear pins work externally to protect the slope from weather and erosion or work internally to give extra strength to the rock mass. The PILLAR team has more than 100 years of combined experience working with and for municipalities and departments of transportation and has the expertise to ensure these measures are done in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Non-structural measures. Landscaping and drainage provide additional protection to slopes. Added vegetation can improve slope stability by enhancing soil cohesion and fighting erosion. Drainage is critical to allow water to escape from rock slope, further mitigating the effects of erosion and freeze-thaw cycles that can fracture rock. Drainage can include horizontal weep drains or holes drilled into large rock faces.
Continual monitoring and maintenance. PILLAR’s support doesn’t end with recommendations. We remain vigilant over time, continually assessing your slopes for any signs of deterioration or instability.
Emergency response and public awareness. We ensure that slope stabilization work includes the proper signage needed to raise awareness to the traveling public about stabilization efforts and potential hazards. In the unfortunate event of an unexpected slop failure or natural disasters, PILLAR will be beside you to develop an emergency response plan.
Eradicate Unstable Slopes Today
Slope slides can be deadly, so make proactive stabilization priority No. 1. With unmatched experience and state-of-the-art technology, PILLAR is your trusted slope erosion mitigation partner. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation, and let’s make your slopes — and roadways — the safest they can be.
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