20231021-CFK Memorial Lecture-How & Why Landslide

LANDSLIDES:
HOW , WHY and the WAY

FORWARD
Dato’ Ir. Dr. Gue See Sew

(21st October 2023)
www.gnpgroup.com.my
Quality Services – Our Commitment 1

CONTENTS
• Major Landslides
• How Landslides Occur?
• General Causes of Landslides
• Common Misconceptions on Slopes
• Are Hillsite Developments Unsafe?
• Sustainable Hillsite Development? HOW?
• Landslide Risk Assessments
• Landslide Remediation Measures
• Way Forward
MAJOR LANDSLIDES
Major How? General Common Are Hillsite Sustainable Hillsite Risk Remediation Way
Landslides Causes Misconceptions Developments
Quality Services – OurDevelopment?
Commitment How? Assessment Measures Forward
3
Unsafe?
Introduction
• More developments encroach into the
hilly areas over the past decades
Taman Melawati
Kuala
Lumpur
Landslides Causes Misconceptions Quality
Developments Services – Our Commitment How?
Development? Assessment Measures 4
Forward
Unsafe?
Collapse Of Block 1,
Highland Towers (1993)
Landslides Causes Misconceptions Developments Development? How? Assessment Measures Forward
Taman Hillview (2002)
Unsafe?
Bukit Lanjan (2003)
Unsafe?
Gua Tempurung (2004)
Unsafe?
Banding Island, Perak (2007)
After
Before
9
Unsafe?
Taman Bukit Permai 2, Ampang,
KL (11 Mar 2022)
Warning! Language used in the video
15 homes &
10 vehicles
4 killed
10
Unsafe?
Batang Kali (16 Dec 2022)
11
Unsafe?
12
Unsafe?
HOW LANDSLIDES OCCUR?
13
Unsafe?
Anatomy of A Slope
Saturated Soil
WEATHERED ROCK
ROCK
Unsafe?
FRICTION CONCEPT
1 ton
T
F
• Box Will Not Slide when F > T
Unsafe?
“T” LESS THAN “F”
i.e. Slope will Not Fail
T
F
16
Unsafe?
SLIDING
1 ton1 ton 1 ton
T T
T
FF F
N N N
• Sliding Occurs when T > F
17
Unsafe?
“T” GREATER THAN “F”
i.e. Slope willA Fail
T
F
Unsafe? Quality Services – Our Commitment 18
WATER PRESSURE
1 ton
T
F F
N
N
• Water Pressure Reduces N  Reduces F

19
Unsafe?
Water REDUCES “F”
i.e. Slope May Slide
T
F
20
Unsafe?
GENERAL CAUSES OF
LANDSLIDES
21
Unsafe?
Causes of Landslides ?
Maintenance
Design &
Construction
Errors
Design Errors
Geological
Features
Construction *based on soil slopes

Errors
Ref: Gue, S.S. & Tan, Y.C. (2006). Landslides: Abuses of The Prescriptive Method",
International Conference on Slopes 2006, Kuala Lumpur, 7 - 8 August 2006.
22
Unsafe?
❖ DESIGN - inadequate ground
investigation, lack of understanding of
analysis and design.
❖ CONSTRUCTION - lack of quality
assurance and quality control by
Contractors.
❖ SITE SUPERVISION - lack of proper site
supervision by consulting engineers.
❖ COMMUNICATION - lack of
communication amongst various parties
involved in construction
Ref: IEM Position Paper for Mitigating the Risk of Landslide on Hill-Site Development
Unsafe?
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
ON SLOPES
24
Unsafe?
Misconception #1:
• Soil tests SHOW that the slope is safe.
SOIL TESTS ALONE DO NOT TELL us

whether a slope is safe.
25
Unsafe?
Soil Tests Only Show Soil Types and
Properties
26
Unsafe?
Misconception #2:
• Heavy Rain CAUSES Slope Failure.
ENGINEERED SLOPES WOULD

NOT FAIL if properly designed.
EXCEPTION : Actual rainfall greater

then designed period.
27
Unsafe?
Misconception #3:
• Erosion WILL NOT cause slope failure.
EROSION CAN CAUSE slope failure.
28
Unsafe?
Erosion can Propagate Slope
Failure Type 1
29
Unsafe?
Erosion can Propagate Slope
Failure Type 2
30
Unsafe?
Misconception #4:
• Retaining Walls ALWAYS PREVENT slope

failures.
UN-ENGINEERED WALLS CAN

CAUSE slope failure.
31
Unsafe?
Collapsed RC wall
32
Unsafe?
Misconception #5:
• Slopes are Maintenance Free.
POORLY MAINTAINED SLOPES MAY

LEAD TO slope failure.
33
Unsafe?
34
Unsafe?
Misconception #6:
• “Slope has been Standing for more than
10 Years!”
• So Natural Slopes are safe!
Natural Slopes are NOT NECESSARILY

Safe.
35
Unsafe?
Natural Slopes are NOT Necessarily Safe!
36
Unsafe?
Misconception #7:
• EIA Reports Ensure Safety
EIA is a planning tool. It DOES NOT go

into the engineering of slope in detail.
37
Unsafe?
Misconception #8:
• Geological Reports Show that the slope is safe.
Geological Reports do not cover

engineering of slopes. It provides input of
areas with potential problems for
engineers to address.
38
Unsafe?
Misconception #9:
• Slopes at Higher Altitude are not safe
Gentle
Slope
Slope Gradient is more important

Steep
Slope
39
Unsafe?
Misconception #10:
• Cut Slopes at 1V : 1H are Safe
Carry out analyses to check on stability
45 1 1
1 45
1
40
Unsafe?
ARE HILLSITE
DEVELOPMENTS
UNSAFE?
41
Unsafe?
Natural Terrain
Boulder
Cut Slope
Platform
Rock
Rock Fill
Slope Slope
Retaining
Wall
42
Unsafe?
Ronda Village, Spain
Major How? General Common Are Hillsite SustainableFounded
Hillsite by
Riskthe Romans
Remediation Way
Unsafe?
Tiger’s Nest
Monastery,
Bhutan
Constructed in 1690s
Unsafe?
Switzerland
Unsafe?
Unsafe?
SUSTAINABLE HILLSITE
DEVELOPMENT?
HOW?
47
Unsafe?
Optimize Earthworks
48
Unsafe?
Original Slope
Unsafe?
Major Earthworks
Major Cuts Major Cuts Major Cuts
Unsafe?
Strategic use of Walls & Soil Nails
→
Significant Reduction of Earthworks
Preserved Preserved Preserved

Unsafe?
Optimised Earthworks
Unsafe?
Building on Cut Slope
Houses Built on “Stilts”
Filling on slopes shall be prevented

to maintain stability of slopes
Unsafe?
Unsafe?
57
Unsafe?
Clustering Method
❖Maintaining green
❖Concentrated density to
minimise disturbance to
environment
Unsafe?
Unsafe?
Hong Kong
Unsafe?
Treatment for Existing Water Flow
61
Unsafe?
FillsExisting
over existing
valley/ valley/intermittent
intermittent streamstream
If fill over existing

Provide Subsoil Drains
valley or intermittent
stream is unavoidable,
subsoil drains shall be
provided to divert the
water from upstream
to final discharge point
62
Unsafe?
Typical Details of Subsoil Drains
Intermittent subsoil
drain on thick fill slope
Localized subsoil drain along

designated valley alignment
63
Unsafe?
Lined Drains for Creeks
Typical Detail for Creeks
Creeks
64
Unsafe?
Proper Drainage System
65
Unsafe?
FILL EMBANKMENT
Drains across the

cut and fill zone
shall be reinforced
At the interface between the
CUT SLOPE cut and fill embankments, the
RC drain shall be reinforced
66
Unsafe?
Cut Slope
Drains across the

cut and fill zone
shall be reinforced
Fill Embankment
67
Unsafe?
At the interface between cut and filled embankment, drainage
should be connected downslopes until proper discharge area
Fill
Embankment
X Cut Slope
Drains should connect

downslopes until proper
Introduce sump discharge area away
or catchpit at the from the embankment
intersection of toe
drains
Landslides Causes Misconceptions Developments Development? How? Assessment Measures 68 Forward
Unsafe?
Cut Slope
Sumps
Final Discharge area
Fill Embankment
69
Unsafe?
Proper Slope Toe Protection
Structures
70
Unsafe?
Ref.: https://www.tenax.net/en/geosynthetics/slopes-and-embankments/
71
Unsafe?
Ref.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS0aL9FX0vo
72
Unsafe?
Natural Slope without proper slope toe protection
73
Unsafe?
Man-made Slope With Toe Drain but Without Proper Slope Toe Protection
Fill Embankment Cut Slope
74
Unsafe?
Regular Slope Maintenance
75
Unsafe?
Typical Man-made Items on Slopes and Retaining Walls that
Require Maintenance
Ref: Layman’s Guide to Slope Maintenance

76
Unsafe?
Well maintained slope surface cover Poorly maintained slope surface cover
Unsafe?
Well maintained surface drainage measures Poorly maintained surface drainage measures
78
Unsafe?
Abnormal features
79
Unsafe?
Typical Preventive Maintenance Works
Soil Slopes Rock Slopes
Improved surface drainage

(Cast in-situ drain at crest, toe or berm)
Measure to receive or
divert concentrated flow
Slope of surface water
vegetation
Improved surface protection
Improved surface -rock netting
drainage system Rock dowel to stabilize rock
Impermeable surface block with a potential for
protection upslope sliding instability
Surface stabilization measures

e.g. scaling or dentition
Trimming, nominal
support, etc
Subsoil drainage
Improve surface Drainage behind Relief drain

protection system impermeable surface
Concrete buttress
Soil nail
Relief drain
Toe drain
Rock trap ditch
80
Unsafe?
Landslide Risk Reduction Strategy
81
Unsafe?
Landslide Risk Reduction Strategy (after Malone, 2007)
Ref: https://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/about-us/achievements/geotechnical/safety-system/index.html
82
Unsafe?
APPROVAL & CONTROL of
New Slopes
Recommend to Establish!
An OSC with expertise in
Slopes
INDEPENDENT
CENTRALISED FEDERAL AGENCY
Risk Assessment of Existing
To Manage Hill-Site Developments Slopes
& Mitigate Landslides
R&D & Improvement on
Slope Engineering
83
Unsafe?
Key Areas for Improvement in Slope Management and Engineering
Policies &
Legislation
Planning,
Analysis & Undergraduate
Design Modules
Slope
Management
& Engineering
Construction Structured
Quality Control Training for
& Site Practitioners
Supervision
Slope
Maintenance
Ref: Gue, S.S. & Wong, S.Y. (2008). Slope Engineering Design and Construction Practice in Malaysia
84
Unsafe?
LANDSLIDE RISK ASSESSMENT
86
Unsafe?
Landslide Risk, R is defined as
R=HxV
where H is the hazard measurement (likelihood of

landsliding), and V is the vulnerability measurement
(consequences to life & property)
Ref: Guidelines for Landslide Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Analysis for Critical Infrastructure (CI) In Malaysia
87
Unsafe?
International Standard Risk Assessment Matrix
Ref: Guidelines for Landslide Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Analysis for Critical Infrastructure (CI) In Malaysia
88
Unsafe?
Purpose of Landslide Risk Assessment
As a supporting tool for; 5. Monitor and

1. Identify
the Risks
Review the
Risks
• land use planning, Risk

Management 2. Analyze
• prioritization of landslide risk 4. Treat Process the Risks
the Risks
mitigation plans, and
• risk management 3. Evaluate or
rank the Risks
for urban, urban highlands, sub-urban, and rural

developments in the formation of sustainable development
cities. Ref: Guidelines for Landslide Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Analysis for Critical Infrastructure (CI) In Malaysia
89
Unsafe?
Magnitude and Likelihood of
Hazard Analysis
Risk Analysis
Landslide
Risk Assessment
Magnitude and Likelihood of
Consequences Analysis
Consequences to Life & Property
Risk Management
Risk Estimation
Risk Evaluation
Risk Mitigation / Monitoring Design and

Control Plan Implementation
Review and Feedback
90
Unsafe?
LANDSLIDE REMEDIATION
MEASURES
91
Unsafe?
Modification of Slope Geometry
SLOPE TRIMMING
Reducing Acting Force
SLIDE AREA
92
Unsafe?
COUNTERWEIGHT BERM
Additional Resistance Force
SLIDE AREA
93
Unsafe?
REDUCING GENERAL SLOPE GRADIENT
Reducing Acting Force
Gentler general slope gradient
Additional Resistance Force
SLIDE AREA
94
Unsafe?
Drainage
To divert water from flowing onto slide area
Berm Drain
Cascading Drain
Horizontal Drain
95
Unsafe?
Internal Soil Slope Reinforcement
Soil nails with shotcrete
96
Unsafe?
Before slope strengthening After slope strengthening

97
Unsafe?
Soil nails with grid beams
Soil nails with grid beams
Soil nails with shotcrete
98
Unsafe?
Rock-Removal Method
Weathered material
1. Resloping of unstable weathered material in upper part of slope
2. Removal of rock overhang
3. Removal of trees with roots growing in cracks
4. Hand scaling of loose blocks in shattered rock
5. Clean ditch
Ref: Duncan C. Wyllie and Norman I. Norrish. Chapter 18: Stabilization of Rock Slopes
99
Unsafe?
Internal Rock Slope Reinforcement
1. Reinforced concrete dowel to prevent loosening of slab at crest
2. Tensioned rock bolts to secure sliding failure along crest
3. Tieback wall to prevent sliding failure on fault zone
4. Shotcrete to prevent raveling of zone of fractured rock
5. Drain hole to reduce water pressure within slope
6. Concrete buttress to support rock above cavity
100
Unsafe?
Rock bolts
Shotcrete with drain pipes
Rock bolts
101
Unsafe?
Rock bolts
Rock bolts
102
Unsafe?
Rock Catch Fences
103
Unsafe?
Soil & Rock Slope Strengthening Works
Soil nails with shotcrete / grid beams
Rock bolts with shotcrete
104
Unsafe?
WAY FORWARD
105
Unsafe?
Position Paper
on FOR CONTROL OF
Hill-Site Development DEVELOPMENTS WITH SLOPES
(2002 & 2009)
106
Unsafe?
Cabinet Paper (2015)
FOR CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENTS WITH SLOPES
To Manage Hill-Site Developments & Mitigate Landslides
An OSC with Approval & Risk Assessment R&D &

Expertise in Control of Slopes of Slopes Improvement on
Slopes (New & Existing) ( Existing) Slope Engineering
Quality
Quality Services OurDevelopment?
Services –– Our Commitment How?
Commitment Assessment Measures Forward
107
Unsafe?
Thank You for
G&P PROFFESIONALS SDN. BHD. (www. gnpgroup.com.my)
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LANDSLIDES:

HOW , WHY and the WAY

Dato’ Ir. Dr. Gue See Sew

Quality Services – Our Commitment 1

• Box Will Not Slide when F > T

1 ton1 ton 1 ton

• Sliding Occurs when T > F

• Water Pressure Reduces N  Reduces F

Construction *based on soil slopes

• Soil tests SHOW that the slope is safe.

SOIL TESTS ALONE DO NOT TELL us

• Heavy Rain CAUSES Slope Failure.

ENGINEERED SLOPES WOULD

EXCEPTION : Actual rainfall greater

• Erosion WILL NOT cause slope failure.

EROSION CAN CAUSE slope failure.

• Retaining Walls ALWAYS PREVENT slope

UN-ENGINEERED WALLS CAN

• Slopes are Maintenance Free.

POORLY MAINTAINED SLOPES MAY

Natural Slopes are NOT NECESSARILY

• EIA Reports Ensure Safety

EIA is a planning tool. It DOES NOT go

• Geological Reports Show that the slope is safe.

Geological Reports do not cover

Slope Gradient is more important

Major Cuts Major Cuts Major Cuts

Preserved Preserved Preserved

Filling on slopes shall be prevented

If fill over existing

Localized subsoil drain along

Drains across the

Drains across the

Drains should connect

Fill Embankment Cut Slope

Ref: Layman’s Guide to Slope Maintenance

Improved surface drainage

Surface stabilization measures

Improve surface Drainage behind Relief drain

Rock trap ditch

where H is the hazard measurement (likelihood of

As a supporting tool for; 5. Monitor and

• land use planning, Risk

for urban, urban highlands, sub-urban, and rural

Risk Mitigation / Monitoring Design and

Review and Feedback

Reducing Acting Force

Additional Resistance Force

Reducing Acting Force

Gentler general slope gradient

Additional Resistance Force

Soil nails with shotcrete

Before slope strengthening After slope strengthening

Soil nails with grid beams

Soil nails with grid beams

Soil nails with shotcrete

2. Removal of rock overhang

3. Removal of trees with roots growing in cracks

4. Hand scaling of loose blocks in shattered rock

1. Reinforced concrete dowel to prevent loosening of slab at crest

2. Tensioned rock bolts to secure sliding failure along crest

3. Tieback wall to prevent sliding failure on fault zone

4. Shotcrete to prevent raveling of zone of fractured rock

20231021-CFK Memorial Lecture-How & Why Landslide

20231021-CFK Memorial Lecture-How & Why Landslide