ABSTRACT
Rapid progress in soil mechanics over the last half century has facilitated the solution of challenging problems in geotechnical engineering. The profession is currently assessing the needs and priorities for reliable assessments of risk and there are major challenges posed by complex structures as well as by geo-environmental problems. This paper highlights the different approaches to risk assessment. Traditional approaches include deterministic analyses and observational perspectives. These can now be supplemented by probabilistic approaches. The role, scope and limitation of different approaches are briefly explored.
