Advanced Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aim:

Risk assessment in geotechnical engineering is essential for the overall success of civil engineering projects, as it plays a fundamental role in ensuring their safety and reliability. Advanced risk assessment methods aim to enhance the understanding and mitigation of risks associated with the uncertain subsurface conditions, relevant for a range of geotechnical structures such as foundations, tunnels, foundation pits, retaining walls, reinforced soil, earthen structures (dams, levees), etc. A number of innovative and sophisticated methodologies and tools have been employed and developed in recent years, with the overall aim of assessing and managing the soil and rock-related uncertainties. Since the risk assessment in geotechnical engineering requires a multidisciplinary approach, this topic considers theoretical aspects and experimental work in domain of geology, hydrogeology, engineering-geology, geotechnics, civil engineering, environmental engineering, as well in other relevant branches of science. In addition to addressing the mentioned uncertainties in subsurface conditions, effective risk assessment ensures the safety of structures and human lives, helps in the identification and mitigation of geo-hazards, provides optimization in the design and construction of geotechnical structures, and ensures compliance with regulations and standards as well as long-term performance and sustainability.

Scope:

The scope of this topic includes a range of innovative aspects which could boost up practitioners' and researchers' awareness of risk assessment importance in geotechnical engineering. These aspects include the following:

• advanced methods for soil and rock characterization and subsurface data collection;
• advanced risk modelling and analysis with focus on probabilistic methods;
• geo-hazard identification and management;
• monitoring (with focus on advanced geotechnical and remote sensing methods) with development of early warning systems;
• identification and incorporation of climate and environmental factors into the risk assessment procedures;
• adherence to relevant industry standards, codes, and regulations in conducting risk assessments;
• development of risk-informed decision support tools for the relevant stakeholders in field of geotechnical engineering.

Prof. Dr. Meho-Saša Kovačević
Dr. Vassilis Marinos
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
GeoHazards geohazards	1.6	2.2	2020	20.1 Days	CHF 1400	Submit
Geosciences geosciences	2.1	5.1	2011	23.6 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Geotechnics geotechnics	1.9	3.6	2021	20.6 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Remote Sensing remotesensing	4.1	8.6	2009	24.3 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Sensors sensors	3.5	8.2	2001	17.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Standards standards	-	-	2021	26.8 Days	CHF 1000	Submit

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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All GeoHazards Geosciences Geotechnics Remote Sensing Sensors Standards

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13 pages, 4321 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Role of Soil Erosion in Instability of Slopes Along Coastal Karnataka

by Asha U. Rao, Narayana Sabhahit, Lathashri U. Ananda and Radhika P. Bhandary

Geotechnics 2026, 6(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/geotechnics6010021 - 11 Feb 2026

Viewed by 72

Abstract

The laterite formations consist of top layers that are highly porous, followed by a lithomargic soil layer over the weathered residual soil and parent rock. The excavated slopes are stable during summer, but the slopes with exposed lithomargic soils have failed during rainy [...] Read more.

The laterite formations consist of top layers that are highly porous, followed by a lithomargic soil layer over the weathered residual soil and parent rock. The excavated slopes are stable during summer, but the slopes with exposed lithomargic soils have failed during rainy season even when safety factor was more than one. The present study considers the effect of erosion in the lithomargic layer of soil while analyzing the stability of slopes. Janbu’s GPS (Generalized Procedure of Slices) method in conjunction with a genetic algorithm is used to analyse the slope stability and to locate the noncircular critical slip surface. A failed slope from the Yekkur site was considered for the study considering three possible failure mechanisms (Mechanism I, II and III) of slopes due to progressive erosion of fines in the lithomargic soil layer. It is observed that the lithomargic soil’s vulnerability to erosion depends on a critical combination of sand content and hydraulic gradient causing piping. Mechanism III is more critical as compared to other mechanisms and a similar observation was made from failed slopes in the field. The failure in lateritic soil slopes is mainly due to piping of lithomargic soil, which reduces the length of the critical slip surface, and failure due to erosion is progressive. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering)

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34 pages, 47033 KB  

Open AccessArticle

From Deformation Monitoring to Mechanism Insight: Assessing Sudden Subsidence Risk via an Improved 2D SBAS-InSAR and Physical Modeling Approach

by Qiu Du, Guangli Guo, Huaizhan Li, Liangui Zhang, Fanzhen Meng, Zhenqi Hu and Jingchao Sun

Sensors 2026, 26(2), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26020562 - 14 Jan 2026

Viewed by 253

Abstract

Safe and efficient coal mining faces a global challenge in predicting sudden surface subsidence whose mechanisms remain unclear. This study, centered on deep coal seams in China’s Ordos Basin, examines the risk of abrupt subsidence controlled by high-positioned, ultra-thick, and weakly cemented key [...] Read more.

Safe and efficient coal mining faces a global challenge in predicting sudden surface subsidence whose mechanisms remain unclear. This study, centered on deep coal seams in China’s Ordos Basin, examines the risk of abrupt subsidence controlled by high-positioned, ultra-thick, and weakly cemented key strata. We adopt an integrated “observation–experiment–model” paradigm. First, we construct a spatial decoupling model to analyze errors in 1D SBAS-InSAR monitoring, leading to a refined 2D method that reduces the three-dimensional monitoring error from 50 mm to under 20 mm. Based on this, the subsidence basin’s boundary angles are accurately determined as 52.3°–58.6° (strike) and 44.3°–48.2° (dip). Second, a large-scale physical simulation experiment visualizes the complete process of overburden failure up to the breaking of high-level key strata. Finally, by coupling remote sensing observations with experimental phenomena, a theoretical model is built to quantify the mechanical behavior of key strata, revealing the critical width-to-depth ratios for the rupture of the Yan’an Formation (0.21–0.27), Zhiluo Formation (0.53–0.82), and Zhidan Group (1.22–1.34). The research not only delineates surface subsidence morphology under special geological conditions but also answers the core questions of why subsidence occurs and when mutation may happen, thereby laying a theoretical foundation for a comprehensive early-warning model for mining areas worldwide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering)

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31 pages, 7140 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Bayesian Networks: Application in Tailings Design Process and Risk Assessment

by Keith Mandisodza and David Williams

Geotechnics 2025, 5(4), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/geotechnics5040086 - 12 Dec 2025

Viewed by 406

Abstract

Tailings dams, critical for storing mine waste and water, must maintain stability and functionality throughout their lifespan. Their design and risk assessment are complicated by significant uncertainties stemming from multivariable parameters, including material properties, loading conditions, and operational decisions. Traditional dam design and [...] Read more.

Tailings dams, critical for storing mine waste and water, must maintain stability and functionality throughout their lifespan. Their design and risk assessment are complicated by significant uncertainties stemming from multivariable parameters, including material properties, loading conditions, and operational decisions. Traditional dam design and risk assessment procedures often rely on first-order probabilistic approaches, which fail to capture the complex, multi-layered nature of these uncertainties fully. This paper reviews the current tailings dam design practice and proposes the application of Bayesian networks (BNs) to analyse the epistemic and aleatory uncertainty inherent in tailings dam design parameters and risk assessment. By representing these uncertainties explicitly, BNs can facilitate more robust and targeted design strategies. The proposed approach involves several key steps, including parameterisation—design input variable probability density function and uncertainty, knowledge elicitation, and model assessment and integration. This methodology provides a sophisticated and comprehensive approach to accounting for the full spectrum of uncertainties, thereby enhancing the reliability of tailings dam designs and risk management decisions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering)

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12 pages, 1438 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Swell Magnitude of Unsaturated Clay as Affected by Different Wetting Conditions

by Shay Nachum

Standards 2025, 5(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/standards5010001 - 6 Jan 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1156

Abstract

The wetting of compacted clays and their subsequent swelling often result in damage to structures and infrastructures. Estimations of the swell that is expected to develop during wetting are usually based on standard laboratory tests. The standard procedure requires inundating the test specimens; [...] Read more.

The wetting of compacted clays and their subsequent swelling often result in damage to structures and infrastructures. Estimations of the swell that is expected to develop during wetting are usually based on standard laboratory tests. The standard procedure requires inundating the test specimens; this procedure represents an extreme wetting condition and provides an upper limit to the swell. However, wetting may result from less extreme conditions, for example by the absorption of water due to suction forces, which may result in a smaller swell. This paper describes a laboratory investigation of the swell difference in high-plasticity clay that may result from different wetting conditions. Swell tests were carried out on specimens prepared at different initial conditions and wetted under different wetting conditions of inundation or absorption. The results indicate that as the initial void ratio decreases and the degree of saturation increases, it is more likely that different wetting conditions will result in different swell magnitudes, where inundation may create a larger swell than absorption. The soil at a low initial void ratio and high degree of saturation seems to be characterized by mono-modal pore size distributions in the micropore range. This unique pore size distribution may be the explanation of the different swell magnitudes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering)

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18 pages, 9240 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Identification and Analysis of the Geohazards Located in an Alpine Valley Based on Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data

by Yonglin Yang, Zhifang Zhao, Dingyi Zhou, Zhibin Lai, Kangtai Chang, Tao Fu and Lei Niu

Sensors 2024, 24(13), 4057; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24134057 - 21 Jun 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2311

Abstract

Geohazards that have developed in densely vegetated alpine gorges exhibit characteristics such as remote occurrence, high concealment, and cascading effects. Utilizing a single remote sensing datum for their identification has limitations, while utilizing multiple remote sensing data obtained based on different sensors can [...] Read more.

Geohazards that have developed in densely vegetated alpine gorges exhibit characteristics such as remote occurrence, high concealment, and cascading effects. Utilizing a single remote sensing datum for their identification has limitations, while utilizing multiple remote sensing data obtained based on different sensors can allow comprehensive and accurate identification of geohazards in such areas. This study takes the Latudi River valley, a tributary of the Nujiang River in the Hengduan Mountains, as the research area, and comprehensively uses three techniques of remote sensing: unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Small Baseline Subset interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SBAS-InSAR), and UAV optical remote sensing. These techniques are applied to comprehensively identify and analyze landslides, rockfalls, and debris flows in the valley. The results show that a total of 32 geohazards were identified, including 18 landslides, 8 rockfalls, and 6 debris flows. These hazards are distributed along the banks of the Latudi River, significantly influenced by rainfall and distribution of water systems, with deformation variables fluctuating with rainfall. The three types of geohazards cause cascading disasters, and exhibit different characteristics in the 0.5 m resolution hillshade map extracted from LiDAR data. UAV LiDAR has advantages in densely vegetated alpine gorges: after the selection of suitable filtering algorithms and parameters of the point cloud, it can obtain detailed terrain and geomorphological information on geohazards. The different remote sensing technologies used in this study can mutually confirm and complement each other, enhancing the capability to identify geohazards and their associated hazard cascades in densely vegetated alpine gorges, thereby providing valuable references for government departments in disaster prevention and reduction work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering)

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32 pages, 17404 KB  

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Method for Full-Section Assessment of High-Speed Railway Subgrade Compaction Quality Based on ML-Interval Prediction Theory

by Zhixing Deng, Wubin Wang, Linrong Xu, Hao Bai and Hao Tang

Sensors 2024, 24(11), 3661; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24113661 - 5 Jun 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2199

Abstract

The high-speed railway subgrade compaction quality is controlled by the compaction degree (K), with the maximum dry density (ρ_dmax) serving as a crucial indicator for its calculation. The current mechanisms and methods for determining the ρ_dmax [...] Read more.

The high-speed railway subgrade compaction quality is controlled by the compaction degree (K), with the maximum dry density (ρ_dmax) serving as a crucial indicator for its calculation. The current mechanisms and methods for determining the ρ_dmax still suffer from uncertainties, inefficiencies, and lack of intelligence. These deficiencies can lead to insufficient assessments for the high-speed railway subgrade compaction quality, further impacting the operational safety of high-speed railways. In this paper, a novel method for full-section assessment of high-speed railway subgrade compaction quality based on ML-interval prediction theory is proposed. Firstly, based on indoor vibration compaction tests, a method for determining the ρ_dmax based on the dynamic stiffness K_rb turning point is proposed. Secondly, the Pso-OptimalML-Adaboost (POA) model for predicting ρ_dmax is determined based on three typical machine learning (ML) algorithms, which are back propagation neural network (BPNN), support vector regression (SVR), and random forest (RF). Thirdly, the interval prediction theory is introduced to quantify the uncertainty in ρ_dmax prediction. Finally, based on the Bootstrap-POA-ANN interval prediction model and spatial interpolation algorithms, the interval distribution of ρ_dmax across the full-section can be determined, and a model for full-section assessment of compaction quality is developed based on the compaction standard (95%). Moreover, the proposed method is applied to determine the optimal compaction thicknesses (H₀), within the station subgrade test section in the southwest region. The results indicate that: (1) The PSO-BPNN-AdaBoost model performs better in the accuracy and error metrics, which is selected as the POA model for predicting ρ_dmax. (2) The Bootstrap-POA-ANN interval prediction model for ρ_dmax can construct clear and reliable prediction intervals. (3) The model for full-section assessment of compaction quality can provide the full-section distribution interval for K. Comparing the H₀ of 50~60 cm and 60~70 cm, the compaction quality is better with the H₀ of 40~50 cm. The research findings can provide effective techniques for assessing the compaction quality of high-speed railway subgrades. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering)

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