Developing Slope Asset Management Tools Considering Geotechnical and Remote Sensing Data for Transportation Infrastructure

根据加拿大政府的定义，运输基础设施是一项重要的战略资产。在拟议的计划中，我们将重点放在铁路和公路走廊的管理上，这些走廊面临着来自岩石边坡的潜在危险--称为岩土资产(GA)。随着沥青、桥梁和涵洞评估的发展，岩土资产管理(GAM)越来越多地被运输走廊的管理人员采用。建立了测试这些资产状况的设计技术和方法，例如，路面状况指数表明，如果在关键时间不进行维护，质量会迅速下降。将这些概念应用于遗传算法是该领域新兴的研究课题。岩土资产，特别是斜坡，由于材料的内在变异性，大部分隐藏在斜坡内，以及缺乏对引发破坏的反复事件的影响的具体和可靠的了解，导致材料强度和斜坡状况逐渐恶化，因此对岩土资产了解得较少。GAM需要了解现状和风险，确定维护的优先顺序，并改进生命周期。路堑边坡失效的可能性通常使用定性评级系统进行评估：在确定了较高失效概率的斜坡时，将进行详细的工作，以更详细地评估危险并制定缓解策略，其中可能包括监测、警告、保护或支持。未能发现即将发生的故障或未能实施有效解决方案的后果是意外和破坏性的山体滑坡事件对运输走廊的影响。这可能会导致在进行紧急修复时失去基础设施能力、超出基础设施范围的破坏、财务损失、受伤，在极端情况下还会造成死亡。在这个项目中，我们将定义岩石边坡的“类型”，代表随着时间的推移预期的行为和条件的变化。定义的条件曲线将指导GA斜坡的评估和缓解，以减少意外故障、优化支出并指导基于风险的决策。*考虑到我们在加拿大正在进行的岩坡工作以及从世界各地收集的监测数据，使用我们使用LiDAR和摄影测量开发的远程监测技术将允许我们评估各种地质和斜坡管理环境中的基础设施斜坡行为。根据这项分析，我们亦会界定影响岩坡状况曲线的因素，包括工程缓解工程。我们会利用在岩坡上校准的基于游戏引擎物理的模拟工具，评估岩坡状况曲线在多大程度上代表未来的斜坡行为。这应该会导致政策的改变，鼓励机构采取前瞻性的资产管理方法。拟议的计划将培训1PDF、3PhD、5MASc和4UG学生。

Transportation infrastructure is a critical strategic asset as defined by the Government of Canada. In the proposed program, we are focused on the management of railway and highway corridors exposed to potential hazards originating from rock slopes - termed Geotechnical Assets (GA). Geotechnical Asset Management (GAM) is increasingly being adopted by managers of transportation corridors, with development in the evaluation of asphalt, bridges and culverts. Design techniques and methods for testing the condition of these assets are established, for example the Pavement Condition Index demonstrates a rapid decline in quality if maintenance is not done at a critical time. Applying these concepts to GAs is the emerging research topic in this field. Geotechnical Assets, in particular slopes, are less well understood due to the inherent variability in the materials which are largely hidden from view within the slope, and the lack of specific and reliable understanding of the influence of repeated events that trigger failures, leading to progressive deterioration in the material strength and slope condition. GAM is required to understand present condition and risk, prioritize maintenance and improve the life cycle. The potential for cut slope failure is often estimated using qualitative rating systems: where higher failure probability slopes are identified, detailed work is done to assess the hazard in more detail and to devise mitigation strategies, which may include monitoring, warning, protection or support. The consequence of failing to detect impending failure or  implement effective solutions, is the impact of unexpected and damaging landslide events on the transportation corridor. This may lead to loss of infrastructure capacity while emergency repairs are made, damage that extends beyond the infrastructure, financial loss, injury and in extreme cases, fatalities. In this project, we will define rock slope "types", representative of expected change in behaviour and condition over time. The condition curves defined will guide evaluation and mitigation of the GA slopes, in order to reduce unexpected failures, optimise expenditures and guide risk based decision making. Using the remote monitoring techniques we have developed using LiDAR and photogrammetry will permit us to evaluate infrastructure slope behaviour in a variety of geological and slope management settings, considering our ongoing work on rock slopes in Canada and monitoring data collected from slopes worldwide. From this analysis, we will also define the factors that influence rock slope condition curves, including engineering mitigation works. Using game engine physics based simulation tools, calibrated on rock slopes, we will assess how well the condition curves represent future slope behaviour. This should lead to a change in policy that encourages agencies to take a forward looking approach to asset management.  The proposed program will train 1PDF, 3PhD, 5MASc and 4UG students.