Identification and Risk-Based Prioritization of Flood Hazards on Highways in Alberta

L Roberge

In the proceedings of: GeoVancouver 2016: 69th Canadian Geotechnical Conference

Session: GEOHAZARDS - II Floods & Landslides

ABSTRACT: In June 2013, heavy rainfall in southwestern Alberta, Canada, caused floods with estimated damage costs exceeding CDN $6 billion. Several municipalities, including downtown Calgary, were flooded, and highway infrastructure across the region was damaged. Alberta Transportation (AT) retained BGC Engineering Inc. (BGC) to identify and prioritize flood hazards along 3,400 km of provincially managed highways in southwestern Alberta. The 185,000 km2 study area included terrain from the southern and western provincial boundaries to the Peace River in the north and Calgary in the east, and excluded national parks. The study identified 532 sites (approximately 170 km of highway) threatened by channel encroachment, 44 sites (slightly under 100 km of highway) with flood inundation potential, and 1,682 culverts with avulsion potential. Hazard sites were prioritized based on the relative likelihood that an event will occur, impact the highway, and result in an undesirable consequence. Traffic count, high-load status, and nearby roadside facilities were considered in estimating consequence at each hazard site. While not a quantitative risk assessment, the prioritization is risk-based in that it considers both hazard levels and potential consequences. Results were presented on an interactive, searchable web application that supports ongoing hazard assessments and risk reduction planning.

RÉSUMÉ: Les fortes pluies du mois de juin 2013 en Alberta ont provoqué des inondations avec des dommages évalués à plus de 6 milliards de $CAN. Plusieurs municipalités, dont le centre-ville de Calgary, ont été affectées par les inondations, et Alberta Transportation a retenu BGC Engineering Inc. (BGC) provincial dans le sud-185,000 km2 et est délimitée par la frontière ux. sites événement se produistte ion quantitative du risque comme telle, mais la priorisation des sites prend en considération le web interactive comprenant une fonction

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