Surficial slope failures in highway fill embankments are shallow landslides that occur within the embankment fill, usually affecting only a portion of the slope’s height. These failures tend to occur after a vulnerable embankment slope is subjected to a triggering event. An embankment’s failure susceptibility generally depends on factors such as slope steepness, material composition, and ability to withstand adverse drainage conditions. Examples of trigger mechanisms include intense rainfall, snowmelt, seismic activity, and reshaping of the embankment.
NCHRP Synthesis 617: Prevention and Mitigation of Surficial Slope Failures on Fill Highway Embankment Slopes, from TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, documents state departments of transportation practices on identification, investigation, design guidance and requirements, prevention, and mitigation of surficial slope failures.
The report is available from the US National Academies Press web site at https://www.nap.edu/catalog/27645
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