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A simplified three-dimensional shallow landslide susceptibility framework considering topography and seismicity

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Abstract

Shallow landslides are a prevalent concern in mountainous or hilly regions that can result in severe societal, economic, and environmental impacts. The challenge is further compounded as the size and location of a potential slide is often unknown. This study presents a generalized approach for the evaluation of regional shallow landslide susceptibility using an existing shallow landslide inventory, remote sensing data, and various geotechnical scenarios. The three-dimensional limit equilibrium model derived in this study uses a raster-based approach that uniquely integrates tree root reinforcement, earth pressure boundary forces, and pseudo-static seismic accelerations. Contributions of this methodology include the back-calculation of soil strength from a landslide inventory, sensitivity analyses regarding landslide size-pixel size relationships, and the determination of shallow landslide susceptibility for a landscape or infrastructure considering various root, water, and seismic conditions using lidar bare-earth DEMs as a topographic input. Using a distribution of inventoried landslide points and random points in non-landslide locales, the proposed methodology demonstrated reasonable correlation between regions of high landslide susceptibility and observed shallow landslides within a 150-km2 region of the Oregon Coast Range when the water-height ratio was 0.5. The method may be improved by considering spatial hydrologic conditions and geology more explicitly.

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Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the lidar data provided for this study by the Oregon Lidar Consortium and DOGAMI. They would also acknowledge partial funding for this project by the Oregon Department of Transportation (SPR 786). Additional support by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, McIntire Stennis project under 1002779 is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1200 NW Naito Parkway, Suite 180, Portland, OR, 97209, USA

    Daniel M. Hess

  2. Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, Oregon State University, 273 Peavy Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Ben A. Leshchinsky

  3. School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State University, 101 Kearney Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Michael Bunn

  4. School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State University, 338 Owen Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    H. Benjamin Mason

  5. School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State University, 313 Owen Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Michael J. Olsen

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Correspondence to Ben A. Leshchinsky.

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Hess, D.M., Leshchinsky, B.A., Bunn, M. et al. A simplified three-dimensional shallow landslide susceptibility framework considering topography and seismicity. Landslides 14, 1677–1697 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-017-0810-2

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