Protecting Society from Landslide Hazard and Risk

Risk is all around us: landslides, earthquakes, floods, storms and tsunamis are some of the daily natural
hazards increasing risk to society. Quantitative risk assessment and risk management is needed because the
future is not simply a projection of the present. This lecture will present the basic concepts of reliability‐based
design and the principles for managing risk and achieving robust geotechnical designs. Case studies involving
slope failures and landslide risk management will be used to provide illustrative examples. It will be
demonstrated that our role is not only to act as experts providing judgment on factors of safety, but has evolved
to providing input in the evaluation of hazard, vulnerability and risk associated with landslides. The conclusion
is that our profession should be increasingly perceived as reducing risk and protecting communities.