While plants and their roots have been used previously for stability, Prof Ng argues they have not been e ectively utilized. “When you also know unsaturated soil mechanics, di erent reasons for why and how to use plants emerge. The roots are actually far more important for creating suction in the ground. There are two side e ects as plants suck water from the soil: the soil will get drier and gain strength; and permeability will be reduced, making it harder for water to get in. Both are bene cial to slope stability,” he said. Such ndings and their geotechnical and environmental implications have been published in major international journals, including Géotechnique and Canadian Geotechnical Journal. Root causes The topicality and impact of Prof Ng’s studies have led to an unprecedented array of multi-million dollar research grants, including three major funding awards from the Research Grants Council in Hong Kong (one Theme-based Research Scheme and two Collaborative Research Fund grants), participation in a Mainland China project, and funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Research projects have ranged from investigating root-soil-water interactions to develop bioengineered live cover systems to preventive methods to deal with environmental hazards from municipal solid waste land lls. In the large-scale theme-based project, which began in January , he heads an international team looking into debris flow mechanisms and sustainable mitigation of risks in Hong Kong. More extreme weather heralds the potential for disastrous numbers of landslides. Landmark geotechnical centrifuge facility Prof Ng served as Director of the University’s pioneering and world-leading Geotechnical Centrifuge Facility from establishment in until early last year. When it came on stream, the HKUST centrifuge was equipped with the rst D shaking table globally and the world’s most advanced four-axis robotic manipulator. It has gone on to assist the University’s researchers, other academics, government departments and industry to undertake tests on soil behavior and properties that could not have been carried out in the region otherwise. of Soil IN FOCUS 5 Potential deep-seated failure Potential shallow failure Soil nail Grass root Grass Live pole Diverse vegetation Debris flows on June , blocked the North Lantau Expressway for Integrated bioengineered (ecologically balanced) live cover for natural slopes nozzles nozzles Centrifuge model test setup for a -degree vegetated slope Tap root Heart-shaped root Plate-shaped root
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