Explicit Estimation of Rock Slope Failure Likelihood for Hazard Assessment and Safety Engineering near Canmore, AB

December 14, 2020

Rock slope instabilities are a common hazard along transportation corridors through the Canadian Cordillera. In 2013, a rock slope instability that developed into a rock fall reached a highway near Canmore, AB; narrowly missing a vehicle and a group of people. This event triggered an investigation of the area and an assessment of potential options to mitigate the risks associated with other potential instabilities at the site. This paper presents an explicit estimation of rock slope failure likelihoods developed for assessing engineering options for rock slope risk mitigation. The engineered options are closely associated with the volumes, likelihood and run out characteristics estimated through the investigation and consider other aspects of the site such as wildlife and recreational activities in the area. Macciotta, R., C. Grapel, J. Duxbury, T. Keegan, and R. Skirrow. 2018. “Explicit Estimation of Rock Slope Failure Likelihood for Hazard Assessment and Safety Engineering near Canmore, AB,” in Geohazards 7: 7th Canadian Geohazards Conference, June 3-6, 2018, Canmore, AB. Paper #106. CGS (Canadian Geotechnical Society)