Development of a highway rock fall hazard rating system and management database system for Missouri highways using digital video image analysis and geographic information system

The road network within the state of Missouri is contained within a diverse suite of terrains, which in some areas presents substantial rock fall and slope stability hazards. Highway rock cuts must be maintained for the safety of the motoring public. Since highways cover vast areas through differing geological terrains, it is not cost effective to remediate all rock cuts; remediation efforts have to be prioritized. Even doing traditional geological engineering evaluations on all the rock cuts is prohibitive. The development of the Missouri Rock Fall Hazard Rating System (MORFH RS) for Missouri rock cuts along the Missouri Highways utilized three phases.; Phase I included the development of a computer program (RockSee) for screening and measurement of physical features using computer scaled video images. Digital video image of entire highways can be acquired at highway speeds. Later using a computer, engineers can review the video, select areas that look like they may be problematic, and plan further investigations at those sites. The physical features that required in the classification systems can be measured, such as slope heights, slope angles, ditch width, ditch depth, ditch volume, ditch capacity excedence, and rock fall quantity, can be measured directly on the digital images.; Phase II include the development of MORFH RS, which is a new scheme for rating of rock fall hazards along the Missouri highways. This system focuses on the risk of failure and the consequence of failure. In MORFH RS, risk and consequence factors are given equal weight and isolated from each other. The ratings for the categories that relate to risk or consequence are easy to determine and are more objective. The risk-consequence rating system can be used by the DOT (Department of Transportation) to cost effectively determine the need and priority of remediation, and help facilitate the design of maintenance on rock cuts in order to provide for the safety and convenience of the motoring public by reducing the risk and consequence of falling and fallen rock to life and property.; Phase III include the development of a database management system using GIS (geographic information system). This phase includes gathers rock fall data collection and building the database using GIS with using different data layers. Over 500 rock slopes were inspected using video images. A total of 300 slopes were given a detailed rating and field investigation. Following the completion of these field ratings, a GIS database was constructed for all the sites that need detailed rating and includes basic descriptions, locations, and photographs of the slope.