EG 837 CE Mountain Risk Engineering (3_I_0)

Model Questions

Any 2 Numerical Questions will be asked (total 45+45 min – 1.5 hours) 15 x 2 = 30 marks

Numerical Questions 1

A road cut along the Tribhuvan Rajpath has the following description:

1. Slope height between the river and the ridge is 350m: the lower 30m under the highway is sub-
vertical but stable. The dry stone riprap located about 10m above the road is seen to be
bulged/moved outward as if pushed outside.
2. The slope is composed of talus deposit. The seismic refraction profile shows that the velocity of
propagation of seismic waves at the flat part is less than half of the same at other parts of the
slope and the flat part of the slope is 30m above the bulged stone riprap and the Slope angle is
29 degrees.
3. The standpipe piezometers located at the flat part of the slope show that the water table in the
piezometers is recorded in the months of July till September. The depth of water table below
the flat part of the slope is 14m.
4. The slope monitoring data show that the movement is restricted to the wet season only.

Analyse the stability of slope and recommend measure for its stabilization.

Numerical Question 2

Analyse the Stability of slope AH 4 at Chainage 72+500 along the Arniko Highway. Please discuss the
slope stabilization measures adopted at AH4.

Numerical Question 3

Discuss the stability of slope at 19km along Kathmandu-Trishuli highway under the Gorkha earthquake
of April 25, 2015 considering the peak ground acceleration of 0.35.

Answer any 5 questions, 18 minutes each and each question carries 6 marks, total 30 marks

1. Compare the elements of risk in highways of the Nepal Himalayas that follow river valleys with
the one that follows the mountain ridges
 2. Define mass wasting and compare it with the definition of soil erosion. Describe two of the most
important elements of mountain hazard.
3. Describe the instability problem of Arniko Highway near Balephi bridge and discuss the solution
with your suggestion for its stabilization.
4. Discuss “Pahiro in Nepali”. How do you distinguish various types of instabilities called pahiro in
Nepali-describe any 2 of them with examples
5. Discuss manmade causes of mass movements in the Nepal Himalayas; what do you have to say
about it and list your recommendations in bullet points
6. Discuss the inter-relation of various hazards and risks in the Nepal Himalayan highways
7. Describe mountain Hazard and Risk mapping in the Himalayas.
8. Discuss the main forms of erosion in the Nepal Himalayas. How are they different from the
erosion in the Terai plains of Nepal?
9. Discuss the hazards and risk of building infrastructures in the high Himalayas of Nepal
10. How do you compare the stabilization of Jure Landslide with other slope stabilization measures
along the Arniko Highway?
11. How does hazard and risk mapping varies in different stages of project development from
preliminary feasibility study to preconstruction and during the actual construction of a project in
the midhills of Nepal?
12. Comment on J. H. Howell’s experience in application of bio-engineering in slope stabilization in
Nepal.
13. How do you relate between SMR and RMR? Why is SMR preferred to other types of stability
analysis of rock slopes in the earlier preconstruction stage of infrastructure development?
14. What is Soil Slope Movement Hazard Rating developed by BB Deoja and Thapa, please describe
the method with your comments.
15. Please write a short note on Landslide monitoring in the mid-hills of Nepal
16. Write a short note on stability condition of slopes along the Arniko Highway. Please describe
important slope stabilization measures applied in Arniko Highway.

Total Ranking and Marking System for this semester will be as under:

Class Attendance and Participation (less 1 for 2 absents, 3 for 3, 5 for 4 and all for 5) 8

Attendance and Participation in the field works (less 2 for 1 miss and all for 2) 5

Field Work Reports (5 for Arniko highway and 2 for BP Highway) 7

Home Work (6 chapters of LHM and 1 on Wedge Failure) 6 x 3 + 1 x 2 20

Final Examination 60

Total Marks 100