SYNOPSIS

Bio-slope stabilization, i.e. the use of plants in combination with engineering techniques such as geosynthetics, soil bags, micro-piles, etc, to prevent erosion and shallow landslide has been a topic of extensive research and becomes more widely practiced in Thailand in the recent years. Essentially plants are subjected to continuous hydrological, mechanical and biological changes during the life time of bio-engineered slopes. This presentation reports on recent research findings from laboratory and field studies of root-reinforced soils, involving evolution of root area ratios, soil-water retention curves and permeability function with plant growth stages. The effects of Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) roots on unsaturated soil properties and implications on slope stability are highlighted. Various case histories of bio-slope stabilization will be presented with the recent findings from the long term performance monitoring.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Dr. Apiniti Jotisankasa is currently an Associate Professor at Department of Civil Engineering, Kasestsart University Bangkok. He obtained his MSc and PhD in Soil Mechanics at Imperial College London with the support of the Anandamahidol Scholarship from Thailand. His research interests include application of unsaturated soil mechanics on practical geotechnical engineering problems, such as rainfall-induced landslide, excavation, embankment stability, bio-slope engineering as well as energy piles. Dr. Apiniti was awarded the Young Technologist Award from the Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Technology under the Patronage of His Majesty the King of Thailand. Dr. Apiniti has been international secretary general of the Thai Geotechnical Society since 2009 and currently a member of the TC106 (Unsaturated soils) of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. He has served as an editorial board member of various international journals, namely Soils and Foundations, Journal of the Japanese Geotechnical Society, International journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering, Springer, Environmental Geotechnics, ICE, and Geotechnical Engineering, the SEAGSAGSSEA journal.