A new slope mass rating in mountainous terrain, Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas: application of geophysical technique in slope stability studies

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The slopes of western Lesser Himalaya (at Sangaldhan Block of Udhampur near Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir India) are being severely affected by tectonic and erosional activities. These activities result in deposit of a thick cover of rock fragments and overburden just above the hard rock. The thickness of overburden cover has directly affected the stability of slope in the study area, though the traditional stability estimation techniques, rock mass rating and slope mass rating, rate this area as moderately stable which does not represent the real stability condition. In this research work, the geotechnical and geophysical surveys have been carried out to reckon the slope stability conditions more accurately as compared to traditional slope stability estimation techniques. A new rating, new slope mass rating, is developed, which gives a better picture of the stability of slopes. It incorporates a new parameter of overburden thickness profile, along with slope angle and other associated factors on the slopes of the mountainous terrains. The vertical electrical sounding surveys were conducted for the demarcation of rock–overburden interface and for determining the overburden cover. This new classification depicts an increase of 12.84 % in unstable slope areas giving a better assessment and factual picture of slope stability in our study area. This study also enumerates the importance of geophysical applications in slope stability studies. The research work is applicable in mountainous terrains such as Himalaya, and the major component of the application is the orientation of overburden or the profile of thickness in relation with slope of surface.