Framework of human reliability analysis in a geotechnical risk assessment for hillside development

Abstract

Limited flat lands in certain developing countries impeded their development progression. To resolve the situation, development projects were extended to hillside areas. Today, landslide cases reported can be closely related with hillside development areas. While landslide is known as a natural hazard, findings have revealed that human error also plays a major role in contributing to landslide events nowadays. Over the years, there is little emphasis or even no concern over the importance of human errors to be considered with landslide related problems in hillside areas. Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) has been applied in other industries to assess the human factors contributing to risks and to facilitate in identifying proper mitigation measures to reduce the risks which can then be proposed to be adopted into the landslide risk assessment. As more and more technological advancement has been introduced to facilitate the complex human activities, the need to focus on the aspects of related human errors is inevitable. As such, human and technological interactions are interrelated in every stage of a project; therefore prompting more errors to be made by humans.

Analytical study of the causes of the major landslide of Bukit Antarabangsa in 2008 using fault tree analysis

“…Nanak and Harahap [2] also reported that leakages from the active water pipe across the slope to an adjacent abandoned house, which led to an increase in pore water pressure in the slope were the main causes of the landslide. Tariq [16] also reported that the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide was most likely due to the water leakage from active water pipes.…”

“…The buried pipe is believed to have been damaged by prolonged soil creep over the years. The leak caused continuous soil saturation at the non-engineered fill slope, which largely consists of non-compacted earth fills [2]. The leaks contributed to continuous soil saturation at the lower slope and this, in turn, accelerated the soil creep [15].…”

“…In Bukit Antarabangsa in 2008, a landslide damaged the settlements and resulted in casualties [1]. Altogether this landslide caused five casualties, buried fourteen bungalows, and forced approximately 2000 residents to evacuate their homes [2].…”