Digital-driven Resilience-based Hong Kong Slope Safety System
Abstract
The Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) is mandated to manage the landslide risk in Hong Kong. Since 1977, the GEO has established and implemented the Hong Kong Slope Safety System (HKSSS) to manage the landslide problems in such a way to protect life and property in a holistic manner. Over the past forty-five years, the HKSSS has constantly evolved to meet the public expectation and the society’s needs. With the emergence of innovation and technology, the GEO has leveraged the rapid technological advancement to further enhance the HKSSS. In this keynote, Dr Cheung would present the recent evolvement and advancement of the HKSSS with highlights in the opportunities and challenges as it attempts to strengthen its resilience against climate change impacts. These include slope engineering breakthroughs in preventing and mitigating landslide hazards, strengthening landslide predictive capability, enhancing emergency preparedness and response, and improving community resilience against extreme rainstorms using cutting-edge innovation and technology such as advanced remote sensing techniques, novel numerical modelling algorithms, Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, machine learning algorithms and virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR) concepts in landslide risk management.
Biography
Dr Raymond Cheung has more than thirty years’ experience in civil and geotechnical engineering in Hong Kong. He has been participated in a number of mega infrastructure projects in Hong Kong under the Airport Core Programme, including Chek Lap Kok International Airport reclamation, Airport Railway and Western Harbour Crossing, before joining the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department in Hong Kong in the late 1990s. He is a member of various international technical committees such as the European School Scientific Committee of Landslide Risk Assessment and Mitigation (LARAM) LARAM), TC205 (Safety and Serviceability) of International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), and the International Network on Landslide Early Warning Systems (LandAware). He is currently Head of the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) overseeing the control of geotechnical works, setting geotechnical standards, testing and development of construction materials, quarrying, cavern and underground space development, the Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme, early landslip warning system and the landslide emergency services. He is also steering the overall innovation and technological development of the GEO.