ROCKY MOUNTAIN PIERRE SHALE HAZARDS

Numerous Pierre Shale slope failures within Colorado Springs are geological, engineering, social and planning challenges. The capability to accurately investigate, analyze and predict long-term slope behavior is severely limited due to a variety of factors. One of the most significant scientific voids is an understanding of the complexities of failure mechanisms. This presentation highlights geotechnical engineering challenges and provides an overview of on-going research as well as preliminary results.