Basic principles for the identification of landslides using geophysical methods

Abstract

Cases of damage to structures in landslide areas in Poland, and sometimes construction catastrophes, occur most frequently in periods of intense precipitation (e.g. in 1997, 2000, 2002 and 2010). The greatest landslide risk occurs in mountainous areas in the Flysch Carpathians, and the number of landslides posing major problems exceeds 20,000. Terrain surface relief and geological structure including the tectonics, properties of the geological medium, presence of excessive water mostly due to intense precipitation, and human activity have an impact on landslide risk. This paper is aimed at presenting basic principles for the geophysical identification of landslides gained from experience in various regions of Poland, particularly in the flysch formations in the Carpathian Mountains. The geophysical methods which are of the greatest importance in the study of landslides are specified. Their advantages and limitations are presented. The principles of geophysical methods applied at the stage of designing and implementing research, processing and interpreting data, analysis of results, and their documentation are discussed.