Abstract
Conventional methods for the design of slopes in the residual Hong Kong soils that require determination of soil/rock parameters, selection of a failure model and assignment of a piezometric surface (or similar) provide unsatisfactory estimates of safety factor owing to the uncertainty levels that prevail. An alternative approach is discussed which, while only approximate, uses measured Hong Kong slope performance to estimate probabilities of failure for a variety of conditions. Such probabilities should be useful in conjunction with consideration of the consequences of failure and the formal assessment of risk.
