A literature review of risk matrices applied for risk assessment in geotechnical engineering

Abstract

Risk matrices are frequently used for risk assessment in all kinds of areas. This study makes a simple literature review on their applications in different fields of geotechnical engineering with focus on their size and risk classifications. It is found that the 5×5 risk matrices with 3 or 4 risk levels are most commonly used. For risk assessment on tunnels, the 5×5 risk matrices with 4 risk levels are recommended, and the risk matrix given by the International Tunnelling Association (ITA) can be used as a typical example. For risk assessment on other fields, the 5×5 risk matrices with 3 or 4 risk levels are recommended. However, no typical example is available regarding to their detailed patterns.