Advancing Landslide Investigations: High-Resolution Slip Surface Estimation Using UAV Technology

The rapid and cost-effective identification of slip surface geometry is essential for efficient landslide investigations and mitigations. Conventional methods for analyzing slip surfaces were typically determined by observations from boring surveys. However, when these surveys are prolonged, they can impose significant economic burdens. In this study, we proposed a novel method for estimating slip surfaces using high-density surface displacement vectors derived from multi-temporal topographic data collected with laser-equipped UAVs. The study focused on landslides in the Neogene formations of the Tohoku region, Japan, where boring data were available for validation (c.f. Ogita et al., 2024). This method was employed to estimate the geometrical dimensions of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) slip surfaces, achieving maximum agreement rates of 90% and 84%, respectively. These results validate the proposed approach as sufficiently accurate for planning future landslide mitigation measures.

 

Reference：

OGITA, S., HAYASHI, K., ABE, S., TSOU, C.-Y. (2024): Estimation of slip surface geometry from vectors of ground surface displacement using airborne laser data : case studies of the Jimba and Tozawa landslides in Akita Prefecture, Journal of the Japan Landslide Society, 61(4) 123-129 (In Japanese with English Abstract).