THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1979
MANUAL ON PRACTICE AND STANDARDS TO
PREVENT SLOPE FAILURES
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THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS PREPARED A COMPREHENSIVE MANUAL SETTING OUT THE PRACTICE AND STANDARDS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO PREVENT SLOPE FAILURES IN HONG KONG.
THE TEXT HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED AND THE MANUAL WILL BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY.
IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE PWD'S GEOTECHNICAL ADVISER, MR. STANLEY RODIN, IN AN ADDRESS TO THE ZONTA CLUB OF KOWLOON TODAY (THURSDAY).
+THE MANUAL DEALS WITH A VERY WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS AND IS CONCERNED WITH THE INVESTIGATION, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF WORKS CONNECTED WITH SLOPES, MR. RODIN SAID.
HE ALSO LISTED THE PREVENTIVE WORKS CARRIED OUT BY
THE PWD ON SLOPES PROVIDING THE GREATEST RISK TO THE PUBLIC:
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IN EARLY 1977, THE PWD CARRIED OUT PREVENTIVE WORKS ON 39 FILL SLOPES IN 17 PUBLIC HOUSING AREAS AT A COST OF $21 MILLION.
IN THE 1977-78 DRY SEASON PROGRAMME ANOTHER 36 FILL SLOPES NEAR HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC HOUSING BLOCKS WERE DEALT WITH AT A COST OF $40 MILLION.
IN THE 1978-79 PROGRAMME, PREVENTIVE WORKS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OR ARE IN HAND ON A FURTHER 23 FILL SLOPES ON CROWN LAND NEAR SQUATTER AREAS, SCHOOLS, PUBLIC HOUSING AND PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL AREAS AT A COST OF $36 MILLION.
THEREFORE, MR. RODIN SAID, 98 FILL SLOPES WHICH PROVIDED THE GREATEST RISK TO THE PUBLIC HAD BEEN MADE SAFE.
AND, HE STRESSED, A FURTHER PROGRAMME OF PREVENTIVE WORK ON SLOPES WAS BEING PLANNED FOR THE NEXT DRY SEASON.
RODIN EXPLAINED THE HISTORY OF THE VAST SLOPE IDENTIFICATION AND STABILISATION WORK CARRIED OUT SINCE THE PO SHAN ROAD DISASTER OF 1972.
THE FIRST PHASE OF THE DETAILED STUDY OF CUT SLOPES WAS COMPLETED IN 1974 AND ABOUT 1,000 ITEMS OF PREVENTIVE OR REMEDIAL WORK WERE RECOMMENDED AND CARRIED OUT.
THE SECOND PHASE OF THE STUDY FOLLOWED, INVOLVING A MORE DETAILED INVESTIGATION OF CUT SLOPES AND RETAINING WALLS IN 30 AREAS. MUCH OF THE PREVENTIVE WORKS RECOMMENDED FOR THESE AREAS HAS BEEN COMPLETED OR IS IN HAND.
AT PRESINT