Human Error Causes in Slope Engineering Practices

Abstract:

Landslide/slope failures have been accounted, as the second natural disaster for Malaysia after flood.From the landslides investigations reports, it is shown that landslides in Malaysia were caused mainly by factors like lack of maintenance, less coordination during construction stage and design problem apart from rainfall. The slant of this study facilitated multidisciplinary perceptions regarding human error causes in existing practices to be captured. This approach has the worth to offer the usefulness of progressive actions that are taken to strengthen the slopes. Conducting the surveys with focussed group respondents, could provide benchmarking to gauge any change in influences and resource use as efforts are made to advance the consideration of slope stability in hill site developments.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 567)
• Pages: 730-735
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.567.730
• Online since: June 2014
• Authors: Sadaf Qasim*, Indra Sati Hamonangan Harahap, Syed Baharom, Muhammad Imran
• Keywords: Human Error, Human Error Causes, Slope Engineering Practices, Uncertainty

References

[17] According to Too and associates.

[17] many of the problems linked with hillside are due to human errors, in the early phase with the development. This is also propped up by Corrie.

[18] who found that the reasons of project failures going on during implementation or after completion can often be sketched back to deficiencies in the planning stages. Likewise, Frimpong and associates.

[19] reported that most of hillside failures can be overcome if located at the initial stage during the development project. Hence, good practice and successful project planning, controlling and monitoring should be fixed early in order to develop project performance. Gue and Wong.

[10] also admitted and emphasized to cover these flaws through desk study, site reconnaissance and sub surface investigations.

[10] All the failures can be avoided, if proper care has been given during planning, sub surface investigation, analyses, design and construction. The need of specialist input is usually neglected due to over confidence. Therefore, many projects suffer due to inexperienced professionals.

[20] According to Oakes.

[21] the benefits of a good project development plans must include earlier identification of risks and issues; adoption of good practice; availability of skills and experience; improved communication; improved ability to allocate resources; improved predictability of project delivery; and greater confidence to take risks. Table 2. Human Error Causes at Different Stages of Slopes Engineering Practices Stages Sub-Stages Human Error Causes Planning and Design Feasibility study Input Parameters Approaches and Checks Technical drawings/specifications inadequacy of the available data Inexperience ambiguous/ outdated standards Absolute judgement required Inaccurate soil parameters Deficient thumb rules Improper experimental setup Construction Earthworks Temporary works Permanent works Improper sequencing Lacking in supervision Inexperience Over excavation/improper method of excavation Inadequate temporary support Excessive construction loads Material deficiencies ambiguous/ outdated standards Operation and Maintenance Routine monitoring/maintenance Engineers inspection Special measures communication power No independent check Mismatch between perceived and real risk Application of unsuitable maintenance criteria Following outdated strategies Weak decisive power Inexperience In category of selection of input parameters, the two most important parameters required for analyzing and design cut slopes in residual soils are effective stress strength parameters and ground water table. As Taha and associates reported.

[22] that information about the shear strength of soil and its behaviour is essential for safe and economic design of geotechnical structures. Gue and Cheah.

[23] also confirmed that sub surface investigations and laboratory tests are not carried out to determine representative soil parameters, subsoil and ground water profile for analysis and design of slopes. A lack of good understanding of soil behaviour is usually a significant cause to slope failures.

[23] One of the facts discovered through experts that improper experimental setup has also been observed in many of the projects. According to Tan and Gue.

[24] selection of appropriate shear strength parameters is very crucial in design of cut slopes. It is significant to admit that stiff materials like residual soils have discontinuities which the small scale tests may sometimes unable to detect, and over-estimate soil shear strength. On the other hand, if large-sized particles, of the residual soil mass cannot be quantitatively assessed and the small-scale laboratory tests carried out on the matrix material of the residual soils will usually under-estimate the shear strength parameters of the in-situ material mass. Hence special care has to be taken, in the selection of representative soil strength for slope stability analysis.

DOI: 10.1201/9780203864203-a1

[24] Water management is an essential factor in controlling slope stability. Surface drainage and protection are necessary to reduce infiltration and erosion caused by heavy rainfall especially during monsoon. When designing surface drainage on steep slopes, it is important to make sure that drains have sufficient capacity to take run off. General guidelines for design of permanent drainage are based upon a 100-year return -period of rainfall and temporary drainage is based upon a 10-year return periods [25, 26]. Deep underdrains can be utilized to lower groundwater levels in slopes and intercept seepage before it can reach the slope face. In drainage facility planning and design, the major basic event is non conformance/inadequacy of the available data like groundwater conditions (resulting from 10 years return-period from rainfall or representative groundwater level (through observation and estimation), peak runoff, discharge capacity, etc. This basic event can be assessed easily by keeping in view the findings of Gue and Wong.

[10] Irrespective of the expansion pattern, because of urbanization in the hilly area, imperviousness of the surface increases and this leads to high runoff generation. Safe drainage of such high runoff to the ultimate outlet (river or water bodies in the form of lake) always remains a challenging task.

[27] The design discharge must have the provision to adjust the future possible development of the area. Discharge may increase with time primarily due to three factors: 1) increase in building density and paved area, 2) increase in rainfall intensity because of impact climate change, and 3) increase of per capita water utilization because of improved life style and better water supply.

[27] Considering these factors, it is advisable to go for an appropriate design of the drainage system, so that the system remains sufficient to meet the increasing future demand at least for the next 50 years.

[27] The construction of the structures such as soil nailing, contiguous bored piles and retaining walls needs full expertise. As pouring of concrete/spraying of concrete, twisting and placing of steel as the structures requires proper sequence and experienced supervision in the tasks. It is also supported by the investigation results indicated that the collapsed of the segmental retaining wall wasmainly due to the internal instability. Due to the space constraints and the existing reservoiron top of the slope, the excavation into the toe of the slope was limited. The anchorage lengthfor the segmental retaining wall was also limited resulting insufficient resistance.

DOI: 10.2749/prague.2022.0766

[28] The bad construction practices can be prevented if proper supervision by design consultants collectively with reliable experienced contractors having clear methods/statements for construction is followed.

[6] According to Gue and Tan.

[2] the personnel supervising hill-site developments must have enough familiarity and experience in geotechnical engineering and geology to spot any irregularities that might be dissimilar from those predict and advocate in design.

[2] Undoubtedly, in maintenance issues, most of the time abrupt but wise/proper judgements and decisions have to be made by the analyst. Of course in tropical countries like Malaysia where an average rainfall is 2550mm, which is above the global average, drainage is the major concern from every aspect (from planning till maintenance).

[10] Malaysian practice on slope maintenance has always consulted the guidelines published by Hong Kong GEO for both routine maintenance and layman and Engineer's inspection. Detailed recommendations for the necessary maintenance regime are stated in Geoguide 5 (2003).

[29] Landslide cases like Bukit Antarabangsa (2008).

[2] Conclusion Through conducting surveys and concerning materials, it is apparent that the causes of slope failures are related to poor and/or flawed design and construction and non-preferential maintenance criteria. It is also pertinent to note that at every related tasks/subtasks involved in slope engineering practices, human errors are observed. The quantification or the significant level of these human errors can be overcome by countering the causes responsible for its generations. This research aims to reduce cases of slope failures and construction collapses due to unintended human errors in structural design and construction in the country. Although it is not so straightforward, but by identifying human error causes, it can be minimized with some extent. Reerences.

DOI: 10.2749/helsinki.2017.100

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