Slope assessment in the digital age – a case history

Developments in digital technology and software have revolutionised our modern world, turning well established industries on their heads and creating entirely new ones. Finding new ways to apply this technology in the field of geotechnical engineering may realise novel methods and efficiencies in our day to day work. The use of mobile applications and tablets has aided greatly in the visual assessment of more than 4500 slopes along major routes in South Africa. The Aurecon Field Force App facilitated the recording of information in the field by multiple teams, the review of that information from the office, progress tracking, filtering and sorting of data as well as the automatic generation of individual reports. Other digital techniques and ideas such virtual and augmented reality, laser scanning and computer gaming are also explored. This paper presents the procedures utilised in this project, from the collection of data, to the production of an assessment report, and presents some of the lessons learnt.