Modeling landslide susceptibility and landslide volume per geomorphologic landform unit

Abstract

The analysis of landslide susceptibility and landslide volumes in landforms can provide information for planning disaster management in an area. Landslide susceptibility per landform unit and the potential contribution of material delivered from each unit was calculated for a 105 km2 watershed on the south flank of Pico de Orizaba volcano, Mexico. The landslide susceptibility is calculated from the area and frequency of landslides. The volume is obtained from detailed geometric values of shallow landslides in order to establish an empirical relationship that takes the form of a power law from which the potential volume of all shallow landslides is calculated for the watershed. The study shows that most of the landslides are on volcanic landform units; however, the landslides in sedimentary units contribute more sediments per square kilometer. It also shows that landform units can be used to explain the predisposition and variability of landslide sediment production for a large and complex geological watershed.