Report No. : GEO Report No. 155

Report Title : Review of Landslides in 2001 (2004), 43 p.

Author : T.T.M. Lam, H.W. Sun & K.K.S. Ho

Abstract

This report presents the findings of a detailed diagnosis of landslides in the year 2001 that were reported to the GEO.

The aims of this report are to review the performance of Government's slope safety system and identify areas for improvement to further enhance slope engineering practice through a systematic diagnosis of landslides in the year 2001 that were reported to the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO). The review forms part of GEO's landslide investigation programme which was introduced following the 23 July 1994 Kwun Lung Lau landslide.

A total of 214 genuine landslides were reported to the GEO in 2001. All the landslide data were examined and a total of 25 landslide incidents was selected for follow-up study under the landslide investigation programme. These studies provided information and insight on the types and mechanisms of landslides in Hong Kong and facilitated the identification of areas deserving attention.

Based on the landslide data in 2001, the annual failure rate in terms of sizeable landslides (i.e. a failure volume of 50 m³ or above) on engineered man-made slopes that have been through the slope safety system is about 0.02%. The corresponding annual failure rate in terms of minor landslides (i.e. a failure volume of less than 50 m³) on engineered man-made slopes that have been through the slope safety system is about 0.07%.

Overall, more than 99.9% of the engineered slopes performed satisfactorily without occurrence of any landslides reported in 2001.

Recommendations for further improvement of the slope safety system and slope engineering practice in Hong Kong are given in this report.

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