Destructions on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) from Sost to Khunjerab Induced by Geo-Hazards and Prevention

Abstract

The Karakoram Highway (KKH), from Islamabad of Pakistan to Kasha of China, passed through the junction areas of the mountains of Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush and suffers serious destruction of different geo-hazards. This work analyzed distribution and characteristics of geo-hazards, including debris avalanches, rock falls, debris flows, landslides and flash flood along Khunjerab River from Sost to Khungerab and their destructions on KKH(K726~K821). These geo-hazards are commonly initiated by intensive rainfall and melting of glacier and snow, and numerously occurred, especially debris avalanches, rock falls and debris flows, to seriously destruct highway and frequently interrupt traffic. The destructions of highway mainly came from the burying of landslides, debris flows and debris avalanches, the scouring of debris flow and flash flood, the submerging of dammed lakes induced by debris flows and landslides as well as the breaking of rock falls. After analyzing the lessons and experience of geo-hazards mitigating and highway protecting since 1970s, the measures of hazards mitigating, including identifying potential hazard sites,controlling and disposing rock falls in time,integrated controlling debris avalanches, debris flows, landslides and flash flood, establishing emergency treatment plans for hazard chain and founding hazards alarming and highway safe protecting system, are strongly suggested for highway protecting and traffic security.