Geomorphological complexity in landslide susceptibility modelling

Abstract

In this work, the role of the geomorphological complexity factor on landslide susceptibility models is analyzed. The landslide susceptibility is generally modeled by evaluating the relationship between the spatial distribution of instability factors (environmental and triggering factors) and the distribution of the existing instability phenomena (landslide inventory). The geomorphological features of slopes can be considered as predisposing factors of instability. The geomorphological complexity can be defined as the descriptive feature which synthesizes and classifies the multiplicity of effects which determine the topographical surface and which are determined by the sequence and overlapping in time of the morphogenetic factors. Moreover, the geomorphological complexity is an important factor for the prediction of landslides, as it reveals the hillslope evolution, i.e. the effects induced by mass movements and by surface drainage conditions. In this paper, the Authors attempt to develop a preliminary procedure for generating a thematic map, representing the spatial distribution of complexity factor in a determined study area.