Bridging the gap: establishing a framework for slope stability site walkover assessments in New Zealand

The site walkover assessment is an essential skill for geo-professionals, serving as the initial step in identifying potential geohazards, and assessing project risk. Site walkover assessments lay the foundations for more detailed geotechnical assessments, providing valuable insight to guide decision-making. Despite the significance of this assessment, there is a notable absence of published guidelines and literature in New Zealand.

Currently, the skills and knowledge for undertaking an effective walkover assessment are primarily passed down through in-house mentorship from senior geo-professionals. As the profession grapples with an ageing demographic and a shortage of new talent, there is a genuine concern that this skill and expertise may be lost. This is particularly worrisome in more remote regions and smaller engineering firms where access to senior mentorship and training resources is limited. Formal guidelines on such are needed to establish consistency and promote best practices within the industry, ultimately better serving the wider community. This paper seeks to address this gap by exploring the components of an effective site walkover assessment, serving as a quick guide/resource for young engineers who may lack direct access to senior mentorship. This paper has a focus on slope stability, stemming from the author’s first-hand experience navigating their career with a lack of senior mentorship, whilst working in the challenging Northland geological environment.