Slope reinforcement for housing in Three Gorges reservoir area

The Three Gorges Project of the Yangtze River is the largest hydropower-complex project under construction in the world. Under the large-scale relocation projects, 2874 engineered slopes are formed along with the construction of new towns. In this paper, the cutting slopes are mainly soil slopes and rock slopes. Soil slopes include residual soil slopes, colluvial accumulation slopes, swelling soil slopes, and artificial earth fill slopes, etc. Rock slopes include blocky structure rock slopes, layer structure rock slopes, and clastic structure rock slopes, etc. Varied protection measures have been used for slope protection in the reservoir area including shotcrete concrete-anchor bars, frame beams, retaining walls, slope stabilizing piles, sheet-pile walls, anchorage anti-shear tunnels, flexible protection grids, and drainage, etc. Besides, slope deformation monitoring systems have been set up to monitor deformation failure and the stability state of slopes. The protection measures have guaranteed slope safety and maintained a harmony with the urban environment and surrounding landscape.