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HUESKER Synthetic BV
Kievitsven 108
5249 JK Rosmalen
Nederland
  • Alexiew, Dr.-Ing. D.
  • Assinder, P.

Longs-term experience with a geogrid-reinforced landslide stabilization

Abstract

In summer 1994 a landslide occured just below a ski-lift station in the Austrian Alps. It blocked the road at the toe of slope and endangered the stability of the lift station. A quick solution for the slope stabilization and reconstruction had to be developed and executed. The solution had to meet a wide range of requirements, some of them controversial. Finally, a geogrid-reinforced full-height slope was designed and constructed reusing the local soils and reconstructing approximately the former natural slope shape. The system was successfully built in less than two months and is still stable after twenty years of service. This is most probably the first geogrid landslide stabilization at least in Europe. Problems, boundary conditions, philosophy and design from 1994are described together with the unknown factors and specific solutions, and the construction technology and experience as well. The current state is described and cmmented.

Conclusion

It seems that the geogrid-reinforced landslide stabilization structure designed and built in less than two months in 1994 proves to be generally a successful, efficent and durable solution despite the unfavorable climatic, hydrological and geotechnical conditions and a number of specific disadvantegeous circumstances in 1994 resulting in ad hoc solutions based to some extent on engineering judgment. Even the design procedures and tools were in 1994 quite modest. The solution included a number of aspects being non-common in 1994 (Chapters 5 and 6). In our opinion this demonstrates the flexibility, adaptiveness and robustness of such structures. It is maybe the first geogrid application for rehabilitation  and stabilization of a landslide, In our understanding the positive experience gained should encourage the intensive application of such solutions nowadays especially in consideration of the globally increasing landslide problems due to climate change.