A Strategic Approach to Debris Flow Risk Reduction on the Road Network

Rainfall-induced debris flows frequently cause disruption to the Scottish road network. A regional assessment of debris flow hazard and risk allows risk reduction actions to be targeted effectively. To this end a strategic approach to landslide risk reduction, which incorporates a classification scheme for landslide management and mitigation has been developed, in order to provide a common lexicon (or group of words) that can be used to describe goals, outcomes, approaches and processes related to risk reduction, and to allow a clear focus on those goals, outcomes and approaches. The focus is thus first on the desired outcome from risk reduction: whether the exposure, or vulnerability, of the at-risk infrastructure and people (and their associated socio-economic activities, which may be impacted over significant areas) is to be targeted for reduction or whether the hazard itself is to be reduced (either directly or by affecting the physical elements at risk). This paper describes the strategic approach in the context of perhaps Scotland's most active debris flow site, the Rest and be Thankful on the A83 strategic road.