Hong Kong's Rocks Flashcards
(29 cards)
What natural hazard is common on Hong Kong’s slopes?
Landslides are a major hazard especially during heavy rainfall in summer months.
How much of Hong Kong is mountainous terrain?
Around 60% of Hong Kong consists of steep upland terrain prone to slope instability.
What triggered the 1972 Po Shan Road landslide?
Intense rainfall and poorly engineered slopes caused 156 deaths in this disaster.
What was Hong Kong’s major slope safety response post-1972?
The Geotechnical Engineering Office GEO was formed to manage slope safety.
How many man-made slopes exist in Hong Kong?
Over 60,000 engineered and registered slopes are monitored and maintained.
What is Hong Kong’s slope safety programme called?
The Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme was launched in 1977.
What does the GEO do in Hong Kong?
It inspects designs and maintains slope stability using advanced technology and risk assessment.
What is a common engineering method in Hong Kong?
Soil nailing is used to stabilise slopes by reinforcing them with steel bars.
How deep are soil nails typically installed?
They can be installed 5 to 20 metres deep depending on the slope conditions.
What is shotcrete and how is it used?
Shotcrete is sprayed concrete used to cover slopes and prevent surface erosion.
How many landslides occurred in Hong Kong in 1994?
Over 500 reported landslides occurred after extreme rainstorms that year.
What is the Slope Safety System in Hong Kong?
It’s a digital database of registered slopes used to monitor and assess risk.
How much is spent annually on slope stabilisation in Hong Kong?
Around HK$600 million is invested each year on slope improvement works.
how many warning signs installed in Hong Kong?
Over 2,800 landslide warning signs placed on public footpaths and roads
What role do retaining walls play in slope stability?
They hold back soil on steep slopes reducing movement and collapse risk.
How many lives were lost in the 1997 Kwun Lung Lau landslide?
Five people died in this slope failure caused by heavy rainfall.
What is the typical rainfall during Hong Kong’s wet season?
Up to 300 mm can fall in a single day during summer typhoons.
How many slopes are upgraded annually in Hong Kong?
Around 150 high-risk slopes are upgraded each year under the LPM programme.
What is surface drainage used for?
Surface channels divert rainwater to reduce infiltration and slope saturation.
What is a gabion wall?
A structure made from rock-filled wire cages used to stabilise and drain slopes.
What is an example of slope management in Japan?
In Kobe retaining walls and rock bolts are used on earthquake-prone hillsides.
How is slope failure managed in Rio de Janeiro?
Relocation and vegetation are used to reduce landslides in favela areas.
What caused the 2008 Bukit Antarabangsa landslide in Malaysia?
Intense rainfall and poor drainage on clay slopes killed five people.
What software is used for slope risk in Hong Kong?
Geographic Information Systems GIS are used for risk mapping and planning.
