Quantifying the Impact of Rockfall on the Mobility of Critical Transportation Corridors

University Transportation Centers Program2020PDFTech ReportCunningham, Keith W.Leshchinsky, Ben A.Olsen, Michael J.Holtan, KatherineSmith, KristenWartman, JosephPacific Northwest Transportation ConsortiumUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Alaska FairbanksOregon State UniversityOregon. Department of TransportationUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramUnited States. Department of Transportation. Research and Innovative Technology AdministrationPacific Northwest Transportation ConsortiumUnited StatesAsset managementData analysisData collectionHighway corridorsRisk managementRockfallsRockfall Impacts on MobilityRIMRockfall Activity IndexRAI69A3551747110Sept 1, 2018 - August 31, 2020This work developed a framework to assist transportation planners and managers (and others) in making informed resource allocation decisions based on the risks that rockfalls pose to the mobility of critical highway corridors. Transportation agencies, already faced with difficult asset management decisions, will benefit from a data-driven framework that synthesizes objective, quantitative identification of unstable slopes, mitigation strategies, and historical data related to debris volumes and closure times. Such an analysis will enable identification of which slopes pose the greatest risk to highway closure from infrastructure damage, thus providing an objective approach for optimizing resource allocation and potential mitigation strategies. In particular, proactive slope remediation is typically beneficial, but the benefits are not well quantified. This framework will quantify the benefit of intervention for rockfall activity and, more importantly, the cost-efficacy (accounting for mobility loss) from a risk perspective.125