## 11 Conclusions  
Early warning protocols are crucial for the safety and integrity of GI. A well-designed early warning protocol can detect and mitigate potential hazards and provide sufficient time to take corrective measures. Such a protocol includes a systematic approach to identifying potential risks, monitoring and analyzing data, and communicating warnings to relevant parties. The development of advanced technologies, such as field instrumentation, field in situ testing, FEM numerical modeling, and machine learning model development, has made it possible to gather and analyze data more efficiently and accurately. A successful early warning protocol requires collaboration among stakeholders, including engineers, researchers, and government agencies. An EWP against HWEs on expansive soil was developed and proposed during this study. Several phases, including field in situ testing, field instrumentation, electrical resistivity imaging, testing for sensor data validation, lab testing, numerical analysis, data analysis, predictive ML-based model development, and analysis of slope vulnerability index factor as part of data collection and data analysis have been actively integrated and implemented on six selected reference HWEs in Mississippi. Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions can be drawn.  
It was observed that the development of field instrumentation and a predictive ML-based model, besides conventional approaches such as field tests, lab tests, and numerical modeling, could effectively contribute to developing an EWP.  
Based on the analysis results, the following factors significantly impacted the developed EWP: field-recorded data, numerical parametric study, instrumentation type selection, and selection of ML-based predictive models.  
With the development of the EWP, the following benefits could be achieved.  
Timely detection of potential hazards.  
Giving decision-makers sufficient time to take corrective actions to minimize the impact of the hazard.  
Reducing the likelihood of damage to infrastructure.  
Ensuring the safety of the public by providing sufficient time for evacuation or other protective measures.  
Reducing the risk of interruptions to critical services and supply chains.  
Ensuring the smooth operation of essential services.  
Allowing for more efficient planning and management of resources.  
Helping to build public confidence and trust in the infrastructure by demonstrating a commitment to safety and preparedness.  
By implementing the proposed EWP, potential hazards to geotechnical infrastructure can be detected and prevented, ensuring the safety and well-being of the public.  
The proposed early warning protocol offers a systematic approach that is applicable across various locations, rather than being tailored to a specific area. Following this procedure can lead to the development of new protocols suited to different regions and conditions.  
Conceptualization, S.K.; methodology, S.K. and M.N.; software, M.N.; validation, M.N.; formal analysis, M.N.; investigation, S.K. and M.N.; resources, S.K.; data curation, M.N.; writing--original draft preparation, M.N.; writing--review and editing, M.N.; visualization, M.N.; supervision, S.K.; project administration, S.K.; funding acquisition, S.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) State Study 286 and 316.  
Not applicable.  
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.  
This study was supported by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The authors would like to thank MDOT project engineers, lab technicians, and others, those who helped make this research possible. The contents and views in this paper are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the MDOT.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.