Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring (2020)

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43 A P P E N D I X A Survey Questionnaire

44 Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring Dear DOT Geotechnical Representative, The Transportation Research Board (TRB), through the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), under the sponsorship of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is preparing a synthesis report on Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring. The purpose of this survey is to document the current state of practice for geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring of unstable slopes. The survey is a key component in a NCHRP synthesis study on the application of new technologies or improvements to older technologies implemented by DOTs in the last 10-15 years. Technologies of interest include those used for in- situ instrumentation, remote sensing, warning systems, and data treatment including acquisition, storage, transmission, presentation, and visualization. The outcome of the synthesis study will be a summary of the state of practice, identification of knowledge gaps, and suggested future research to address those gaps. This survey is being sent to the state DOT Geotechnical Lead or Manager for each state. If you are not the appropriate person at your agency to complete this survey, please forward this request to the correct person and notify BGC to whom the survey has been forwarded. Please complete and submit this survey by February 15, 2019. The survey is intended to take 10 to 15 minutes to complete. If you have any questions or problems with operation or access to the survey, please contact the principal investigators Mark Vessely or Dr. Scott Anderson at (720) 598- 5982. Mark can be reached via email at mvessely@bgcengineering.com. Survey TIPS If you are unable to complete the questionnaire uninterrupted, you can return to the questionnaire at any time by re-entering through the survey link as long as you access the survey through the same computer. Re-entering the survey will return you to the last completed question. Thank you for your time and expertise in completing this important survey. Definitions The following definitions will be used in conjunction with the DOT survey: Unstable slopes – embankments and cut slopes and beyond-the-right-of-way hazard sites that have exhibited movement or present a threat of movement. Significant event – a hazard event that results in substantial damage to DOT assets and/or other Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring NCHRP Synthesis 20-05, Topic 50-06 1

Survey Questionnaire 45 property, several days or weeks of mobility disruption, and/or adverse safety consequences. Geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring technologies – includes physical instrumentation devices or equipment installed on or in unstable slopes; remote sensing from either ground-, aerial-, or satellite-based platforms; warning systems that detect and/or communicate movement of unstable slopes. Data management – tools that may be used for acquisition, storage, transmission, presentation, and visualization. Name: Title: Agency: Phone Number: E-mail Address: 1. Please provide Contact Information: 2. Does your agency have unstable slopes such as embankments, cut slopes, and beyond-the-right-of-way slope hazard sites that exhibit movement or a threat of movement? Yes No 3. Does your agency use any form of geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring for unstable slopes other than routine or incidental observation? Yes No 4. How are unstable slopes selected for instrumentation and monitoring? (check all that apply) Judgment of geotechnical staff Requests from DOT staff outside of agency geotechnical program Agency guidelines or procedures Claim or loss prevention Event history Public or other external agency requests As part of a site-specific hazard or risk treatment plan Other (please specify) 2

46 Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring Not Used New Use (within ~10 years) Established Use (> ~10 years) Inclinometer systems (Traversing probe systems) Inclinometer systems (In- place systems) Tilt measurement Surface extensometer/deformation system Borehole extensometer/deformation system Ground-based photogrammetry Ground-based LiDAR Ground-based radar Ground-based survey Aerial photogrammetry/imagery Aerial LiDAR Satellite InSAR Significant Event detection systems Event warning systems to agency staff (e.g., operations, engineering) Event warning systems to public or external stakeholders Event video or photo capture systems Real-time video streams Accelerometers Groundwater levels or flow Surface water flow or precipitation GPS 5. What general instrumentation and monitoring approaches are used by your agency for unstable slopes? (select all that apply; if not familiar, leave blank) 3

Survey Questionnaire 47 Strain gauges Not Used New Use (within ~10 years) Established Use (> ~10 years) Other (please specify) Not Used New Use (within ~10 years) Established Use (> ~10 years) Manual monitoring and paper-based recording Manual monitoring and tablet or other electronic recording Onsite real-time data acquisition for 1 to a few instruments of the same type Onsite real-time data acquisition for several different types of instruments Transmission of data offsite via wireless (radio, cellular, etc.) telemetry Onsite data analysis for decision support Remote real-time viewing of data Remote viewing of recorded data Web-based access or presentation of data to agency staff Web-based presentation of data to stakeholders outside of agency Other (please specify) 6. Which of the following instrumentation and monitoring data collection, viewing and communication methods are used by your agency for unstable slopes? (select all that apply; if not familiar, leave blank) 4

48 Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring 7. Has your agency developed or deployed an innovative instrumentation or monitoring technology within the last 10 years for an agency special case or specific unstable slope problem? No Yes If yes, please describe if able: 8. How many unstable slope sites are currently in a regular or planned instrumentation and monitoring program for your agency? None 1 to 5 5 to 10 10 to 25 25 to 50 Greater than 50 9. In your agency, what describes the frequency that data obtained using instrumentation and monitoring technology are evaluated or interpreted for use in reporting or response actions on unstable slopes? (check all that apply) Daily Weekly Approximately monthly A few times per year Once every 1 to 2 years Rarely 5

Survey Questionnaire 49 10. How are data from the instrumentation and monitoring of unstable slopes used by your agency? (check all that apply) Emergency or warning Establish extent and rate of movement for use in design of stabilization solution Improve reliability for site specific hazard mitigation design decisions Tracking of movement or activity to trigger additional treatment actions Research activities Public or other external stakeholder communications To establish if movement is within tolerance for construction activities Supporting maintenance and operational decisions Other (please specify) 11. How is funding for instrumentation and monitoring of unstable slopes obtained? (check all that apply) From discretionary funds in agency geotechnical budget Agency pre-engineering or engineering design project fund sources From dedicated funds in agency geotechnical budget Emergency/contingency funds within agency Operations or maintenance budgets Emergency/contingency funds external to the agency Construction project engineering funds Other (please specify) 12. What is the estimated approximate range in annual funds committed to instrumentation and monitoring of unstable slopes in the agency? < $10,000 $10,000 to $50,000 $50,000 to $250,000 > $250,000 Unsure of approximate range 6

50 Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring 0 to 25 % 25% to 50% 50% to 75% 75% to 100% Purchase of equipment and material from suppliers Installation of instrumentation and monitoring equipment Remote Sensing Installation of warning systems On-going maintenance and repair of in-situ installed instrumentation Data management 13. What approximate percentages of instrumentation and monitoring services are performed in-house? (select estimated percentage range; services that are not completed in-house would be performed by vendors, contractors, consultants, etc.) 14. How are unstable slope instrumentation and monitoring data managed? (check all that apply) By site and the associated site-specific technologies A program-wide system that incorporates numerous or all sites in one database or system Unsure Other (please specify) 15. Has your agency developed internally, or procured contract services for development of, a web-based data acquisition and viewing system for instrumentation and monitoring data from unstable slope sites? Yes – internally developed Yes – procured external services Yes – a combination of internal and external services No 7

Survey Questionnaire 51 16. What visualization and communication methods are used by your agency for instrumentation and monitoring data from unstable slopes? (check all that apply) Site specific reports prepared with conventional word processing and spreadsheet software Instrumentation vendor developed software and/or web- based systems Custom agency developed/programed software or web-based systems 3D image viewing software or virtual reality systems Third party (but not an instrumentation vendor) commercial software as a service platform Other (please specify) 17. Which of the following would enable an increased use of instrumentation and monitoring for unstable slopes in your agency? Training Additional Funds Agency, FHWA, AASHTO or other formal guidance and procedures Additional agency geotechnical staff resources External contractor availability with specialty experience in instrumentation and monitoring Agency staff resources outside of geotechnical program None necessary – don’t perceive a need for increased use Other (please specify) 18. If able, please provide additional comments to the survey responses above or descriptions of new instrumentation and monitoring technology used by your agency for unstable slopes. 19. May we contact you for additional information based on the answers provided in this survey? Yes No 8

52 Advances in Unstable Slope Instrumentation and Monitoring 20. The synthesis team welcomes experience on lessons learned through the application of new instrumentation and monitoring technology for unstable slopes in the last 10 to 15 years. Please provide comments on this experience below, or if preferred, you can respond with “please call” and a member of the synthesis team will contact you for this information. Please Call Comments 9