The Karakoram Highway

1
The Karakoram Highway

• Alice Hudson
• Ian Goode
• Hamish Dunn

2
Background

• Connecting Pakistan to China
• Through Karakoram mountains
• Construction started in 1959 and was completed in
  1986

(Jones,D. et al. 1983)
3
Geology (1)

• Solid colours sedimentary
• Coloured Symbols igneous rocks
• Black symbols metamorphic rocks
• Thrust fault
• Tectonic movement

(CGMW, 2009)
4
Geology (2)
Greenstone Complex (Metamorphic rocks)
greenschists (schists white mica (muscovite) and
black mica (biotite)) with abundant hornblende
(silicates of calcium and sodium and magnesium
and iron), quartzite and marble (calcite or
dolomite)
Granodiorite (Batholith) high quartz and biotite
content. It is a result of fractional melting of
a mafic (magnesium/iron rich rock) parent rock
above a subduction zone
Dolomite (Sedimentary rock) rock composed of
calcium magnesium carbonate
(Jones,D. et al. 1983)
5
Rock Face/Slope Stability

• 1 in every 6km has an average angle greater than
  80
• Steep, blast-disturbed rock faces and overhangs
• Daylighting in middle section of southern
  valleyside

(Jones,D. et al. 1983)
6
Glaciers, Meltwater and River Surges

• Batura glacier one of largest in the world
• Fluctuating snout position and varying meltwater
  discharges
• Regular flooding and debris flows
• 1976 Sheeshkat flow

(Photographersdirect.com)
7
Meltwater/River Surges

• February 2010 landslide
• Created a dam and a 21km lake (19km of KKH
  affected)
• KKH still submerged today
• Currently being redesigned

(Google, 2011)
8
Engineering Solutions Adopted

• Route contour following topography, valley floor
• Steep slopes, cut by blasting
• Water crossings/drainage
• Emphasis on maintenance over engineering solution

(www.allurdubooks.blogspot.com)
9
Analyses of Adopted Solution

• Route Profile
• Man-power intensive time consuming
• Disturbed rocks and overhangs
• Trial and Error
• Cheap to do
• Bridges
• Settlement, instability
• Water crossing/drainage
• Insufficient capacity
• Easily blocked

10
Alternative Solutions

• Rock falls
• Mass support rock traps, rock shelters, catch
  nets, retaining walls, slope re-grading
• Ground improvements pattern bolting, grouting,
  geotextiles, weathering protection

• Drainage
• Gullies to catch sediment, more/higher volume
  culverts
• Upstream guidewalls, check dams

http//userweb.port.ac.uk/gilesd/images/A55/P1010
013.JPG
(Global Environment Facility, 2009)
(Portsmouth University, 2010)
11
The Karakoram Highway

• Alice Hudson
• Ian Goode
• Hamish Dunn