A participatory approach to determine the use of road cut slope design guidelines in Nepal to lessen landslides

Abstract. Road cut slope failures are a type of landslide process and are extensive across the road network of Nepal. In response to the pressing need for improved road cut slope design guidelines to help prevent these failures, this study employs a participatory approach to assess the use of the current guidelines in Nepal and identify critical areas for enhancement to inform the development of new guidelines. We organized a 1 d workshop with 34 participants, conducted 6 semi-structured interviews and 5 unstructured interviews, facilitated two 1 h focus groups, and distributed 19 questionnaires. Participants in this research included local and federal government engineers, consultants, and academics. We conducted a thematic analysis of the qualitative data. Our findings reveal significant inconsistency in guideline adherence, attributed to their lack of user-friendliness, inconsistent recommendations, and inadequate training for engineers. We found that engineers at local levels often resort to empirical methods when designing cut slopes due to constraints such as land acquisition difficulties. To address these challenges, we propose the development of contextually appropriate guidelines that prioritize simplicity, accessibility, and practicality for field application. We also suggest that policymakers need to set protocols and standards for key road slope management processes, including land acquisition and compensation, quality assurance checks, and spoil disposal, and provide incentives to encourage high levels of compliance. Through these measures, this study aims to lessen road cut slope failures in Nepal, thereby enhancing the resilience of the road network.