A low cost landslide method for mitigating landslide risk, in an urban community. Initiative operationalized through a Framework Agreement between the National Disaster Office of Jamaica the General Counsel of Martinique.

1. 8th Caribbean
Conference on
Comprehensive
Disaster
Management
Presenter: Christopher Gayle
ODPEM

2. Initiative came out of a framework
partnership agreement between Martinique
General Counsel and Jamaica (ODPEM)
Knowledge transfer from Martinique to
Jamaica (Technical Agencies, Melbrook
CDRM Group)
Implementation by partnership with Local
DRR partners (MGD,NSWMA,NWA)
Implementation under existing World Bank
Community Based Landslide Risk Reduction
project

3. Framework partnership agreement
to implement five projects :
1) Knowledge Transfer-Tyresoil Retaining Wall Technique
2) Earthquake Resistant retrofitting of buildings,
3) Cliff protection through dynamic screening,
4) Multi risks simulator,
5) Sharing of experience on communities’ evacuation techniques
+

4. Fact : Society produces waste in the form of tyres ((it is estimated that 35 Million in
France, 290Million in USA)
History :
Tyresoil system developed by the Professor NGUYEN THANH LONG of the LCPC
(French research institute)
- 1978 : Beginning of the research and pilot projects
- 1993 : in 15 years >250 tyresoil works completed in several different countries
(France, Algeria, USA, Switzerland, Brazil, Indonesia …)
- 1996 : First project completed by the Martinican General Council on Department
Road 28 with PR3+500.
- After 1996 : Numerous works in Martinique, many of them completed by private
individuals. No negative side effects known to this day.
Advantages :
- Waste recycling
- Economical (tyresoil cost = 50% less than a traditional retaining method)
- Materials for this technique are easy to obtain : used tires are readily available
worldwide
- Multiple uses within different domains of civil engineering: retaining wall, light
backfill, energy absorber, pressure distributer, slope and bank protector…

5. TYRESOIL = the association of 2 elements : Tyre and the soil
•Tyre = 2 sides + 1 tread band
2 types of tyres :
* Trucks = Exterior diameter :1.10 m to 1.20 m
Interior diameter : 0.50 m to 0.60 m
Thickness : 0,26 m to 0,33 m
Mass : 40 to 70 Kg
* Cars = Exterior diameter : 0.60 m
Interior diameter : 0.30 m
Thickness : 0.12 m to 0.16m
* Soil = large range of soils, ideally pulverulent (= sandy) containing elements which must not be bigger
than 5 cm (to allow for efficient compacting)
Sides
Tread band

6. Type 1 = Light backfill and energy absorbers.
-Preserve empty space to reduce backfill mass
-Allow for Deformation for energy absorption
-Applicable for variety of infrastructure applications
Type 2 = Retaining tyresoil :
-Construct the densest wall possible, which will withstand upward and
downward pressure
-Internal resistance is obtained through layers of linked tyres.
-The top side of the tyre is cut out to allow for quick filling.

7. MELBROOK HEIGHTS JAMAICA
(Informal community with Regularized status)

9. •Coastal Limestone
•Variable poor alluvial
deposits such as sand, silt
and clays.
•Subject to rotational
failures
•Slope stability is dependent
on soil strength particularly
cohesion
•Slope gradients ranging
from 0- 40°.
•Moderately steep slopes
(21-30°) accounting for
approximately 60% of the
community.

10. • Widespread
cutting into slopes
• Major landslides
• Houses threatened
• Rapid rate of
development
• Poor Construction
practices

16. Wall A (Road Protection)
•Dimension - 2.5mX2mX20m.
•Location: Scarp of Slide
•Estimated Tyres Required 990
Wall B (Slope Stabilization)
•Dimension 3mX4mX26m.
•Location: at the toe (base of landslide)
•Number of Rows: 21
•Estimated tyres required: 3360
•Contract Period: 20 working days
WALL A WALL B

18. Community Engagement/ Mobilization
-Encourage Ownership
-Encourage Sweat Equity
-Testing Community Skills Bank
Delivery of Tyres
-Sorted and delivered by National
Solid Waste Management Authority
-Unlimited supply

19. Uniform Laying out of Tyres
Tyre size: R14/ R15
Cutting of Rope
-Polyproplene Rope used (non
biodegradable)
-New method of cutting devised

20. Linkage of tyres
-Rope affixed to link layers
vertically and horizontally
-Special tie used to ensure
stability of wall
Compaction of Fill
-Fill compacted to achieve maximum
homogeneity of each layer
-Fill compacted using water to allow
for greater cohesion of particles

21. WALL B
WALL A

22.  Number of walls built - 2
Total budget approximately 3 Million JAD
dollars
- Estimates for conventional Wall 15Million
JAD
Total Number of tyres used – 4600
Number of community members trained-
>20

23. ALGERIA FRANCE

24.  Excellent case of Knowledge Transfer and Regional
cooperation in DRR
 Low cost mitigation interventions pay/ reduces risk exposure
of vulnerable communities
 Reinforces the importance of partnership in DRR
 Provides platform for sharing DRR experiences with regional
and international DM community.
 Capacity of vulnerable communities strengthened
 Technique to be packaged as part of ODPEM’s training suite.
 Multiple opportunities for replication
- Member of Parliament/ Councillors
- NSWMA
- Parish Councils
- NGO’s