Steep Slope Remediation - Insights into the good the Bad and the Ugly-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The presentation addresses steep-slope and landslide remediation, noting that increased rainfall associated with climate change has contributed to more landslide activity, including more than 500 landslides in the Los Angeles area in January 2024.<br /><br />Steep-slope projects are specialist work, with difficult access, challenging environments, and significant safety concerns. Rope-access contractors have developed increasingly skilled crews and equipment, but constraints remain: access limits equipment size, skilled labor and specialty materials may be scarce, and subsurface conditions cannot be fully known in advance. Because access strongly affects construction, designs must be practical and constructible.<br /><br />The typical investigate-design-bid-build process is sequential and often lacks collaboration. Property owners may not know which specialists to hire, what permits are needed, how long the work will take, or the total cost. Geotechnical recommendations and designs can also be impractical if they do not account for contractor capabilities, site access, and regulatory requirements. Choosing unsuitable contractors can lead to delays and cost overruns.<br /><br />The proposed alternative is early, knowledgeable project management that brings the owner, geotechnical and civil engineers, designers, permit expediters, contractors, and other specialists together as a collaborative team. Team input throughout investigation, design, permitting, bidding, and construction can improve constructability, help identify appropriate solutions, and give owners clearer expectations about costs and schedules. An experienced project manager should understand the full remediation process and local requirements, guide informed decisions, and coordinate the team toward a successful outcome for all parties.

Keywords

steep-slope remediation

landslide mitigation

climate change rainfall

Los Angeles landslides

rope-access contractors

constructability

geotechnical engineering

project management

permitting process

collaborative design