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Hong Kong has more than 60,000 man-made slopes, many retaining walls and supporting drainage systems to enable development of buildings and roads.
The hillside defences represent the world's highest density of man-made slopes, equivalent to a slope for every 100 residents.
Continuing construction means slopes require constant maintenance. And this creates greater demand for geotechnical engineers to plan and monitor them.
'Demand for the quantity and quality of geotechnical engineers keeps on getting stronger,' said Ho Che-shing, managing director of Fugro (Hong Kong), one of the world's leading specialists in the field.
'More hillsides are being reclaimed for development, while private developments are required by law to engage a geotechnical engineer to investigate the sites and help design the foundations.
'Man-made slopes are designed to last at least 50 years, but they still have to be constantly maintained.
'They are exposed to the weather which can easily cause erosion, especially if drainage is blocked by leaves causing overflows.
'Vegetation can also penetrate the slopes to a detrimental effect.
'Vegetation growth can be desirable if beneficial and the trend these days is for more, as everyone wants green slopes.
'But [vegetation] can undermine stability if it causes cracks in drains, causing overflows when it rains,' Mr Ho said.
'Every slope is routinely inspected every year to ensure they can still function properly, with full geotechnical inspection and maintenance work [carried out] every five years.
'You only have to look back to the evacuation of three housing blocks in Shek Kip Mei in 1999,  or the collapse which closed Victoria Road around Pok Fu Lam for two days in 2005,  to understand the importance of proper maintenance.
'Despite all our efforts some failures cannot be avoided, especially during downpours during the rainy season,' Mr Ho said.
Fugro is a Dutch company that employs 10,000 people in 40 countries.
The company has 140 staff in Hong Kong employed mainly in slope and building foundation surveying. The firm's ground investigation surveys also extend to foreign investments in the mainland and include factories and oil platforms in the South China Sea.
The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) has more than 500 geotechnical engineers in its membership, with slope protection and development accounting for a substantial part of their work.
Fugro (Hong Kong) director and chairman of the geotechnical advisory panel of the HKIE Koo Yuk-chan   said: 'There is much less reclamation from the sea these days, as a result of harbour protection legislation, so Hong Kong is making more use of hillside reclamation.'
Hong Kong was internationally renowned for its expertise in man-made slopes, Mr Koo said.
'We receive delegations from all over the world who admire [the way we carry out] hillside reclamation and they learn a lot from us about managing slopes. Hong Kong geotechnical engineers can export their expertise around the world.'



Chief proving ground for geotechnical engineers