The IIT- ISM is working on developing an early warning system to maintain the safety of the highway against the slope failures that happen to be common in the Himalayan region of the country.
The idea came to researchers of scientists of the Department of Applied Geology of the institute, who were studying the landslides along with Tehri-Uttarkashi Highway.
Research has revealed that at several locations along the Dharasu-Uttarkashi Highway in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, landslides and slope failures occur. A rigorous comprehensive multiparametric analysis of the failure conditions of the hill slopes along the highway had been performed recently to reveal that twelve locations along the highway manifest conditions of various degrees of instability with three locations particularly at the verge of failure and require immediate mitigation.
The research was carried out by Dr. Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Geology, along with his Ph.D Student Anil Kumar Gupta. The researcher developed novel stability charts that combine several geomechanical slope classifications and integrate with it, rock microstructural parameters of failure to identify slopes that are about to fail.
The highway passing through such locations are extremely vulnerable and require Immediate stabilisation operations and precautions , said Dr Mukharjee.
The highway connects Tehri and Uttarkashi and is an important transport way that supports business, pilgrimage, infrastructure development and international tourism round the year.
As a part of his ongoing research, Prof. Mukherjee now aims at developing early warning systems that might serve as a precaution to maintain the safety of the highway against the slope failures.