Himalayan Geology, Vol. 42 (1), 2021, pp. 163-174, Printed in India
Large scale geological mapping and slope stability analysis of the pilgrimage route between Sonprayag and Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India
NEERAJ RAMOLA1*, Y.P. SUNDRIYAL1, MOHIT KUMAR PUNIYA2, VIKRAM GUPTA3
1Department of Geology, School of Earth Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar- Garhwal, 246174, India
2National Geotechnical Facility, Poonch House 11-C, Circular Road, Dalanwala, Dehradun, 248001, India
3Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 GMS Road, Dehradun, 248001, India
*Email (Corresponding author): neerajramola14@gmail.com
Abstract: The slope instability is a major geotechnical challenge in Himalaya which often disrupts the socio-economic environment of Uttarakhand state. Mandakini valley of the Uttarakhand, along with many others, evidenced an unprecedented disaster as a consequence of flash-flood and landslide during June 2013. This event highlighted many geological, environmental and anthropogenic issues that aggravated the severity of this disaster. One of the most vulnerable infrastructures is the roadways, which further invites systemic vulnerability to society. The National Highway 107 connects one of the remotest tourist hotspot Kedarnath with the rest of the country and hence, serves as a lifeline infrastructure to thousands of tourists and local inhabitants. This highway along with a foot track between Sonprayag and Kedarnath was worse affected during June 2013, cost thousands of lives. The slope-instability of a region can be mitigated up to great extent by adequately handling the geo-environmental and geotechnical factors. We carried a detail geological and geotechnical investigation of the area to perform the slope stability analysis using the Slope Mass Rating (SMR) and Rock Mass Rating (RMR) scheme. We identify several locations which are prone to planner, wedge or both type of failure.
Keywords: Mandakini Valley, landslide, Kedarnath, Kinematic Analysis, RMR, SMR, Slope stability.
