In order to promote economic and social development of Motuo County in Tibet and improve traffic conditions as soon as possible, Ministry of Transport of China launched a Research Programme on the Key Technology for Zamo Highway in Tibet in 2007. IMHE undertook part of the programme, “Research on Typically Geological Hazard Prevention of Zamo Highway in Tibet”. IMHE developed research on geological hazard prevention along Zamo Highway with Tibetan Institute of Geological Environment Monitoring, which achieved desirable result.

IMHE team, led by Prof. Cheng Zunlan, launched this research from August, 2007. By now, through over four years’ investigation and research, IMHE term obtained firsthand data, explored the formation and distribution patter of disaster, and put forward the disaster prevention measures and models systematically, and finally developed key technology for the prevention project of debris flow, landslide, collapse in Zamo Highway. These achievements provided strong support for the construction and operation safety management of Zamo Highway.

Zamo Highway locates in Yajiang valley. Natural disasters such as flood damage, landslide, collapse and mudflow frequently occurred and traffic condition is extremely poor along the highway.