Proceedings of Indian Geotechnical Conference

December 22-24,2013, Roorkee

LANDSLIDE LOCATIONS AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT IN RS/GIS

ENVIRONMENT.

Wagh, K.S.*, Professor, W.C.E. Sangli (Maharashtra), ksw.wce.cv @ gmail.com

Deshpande, P.K., Assistant Professor, W.C.E. Sangli (Maharashtra), p73122 @ yahoo.com

ABSTRACT:The study involves identifying landslide prone locations on State Highway No.72 between Poladpur
and Mahabaleshawar, region from Western Ghats in Maharashtra. RS data and GIS tools have been used along
with software ILWIS-3.3 for this purpose. Analysis involves DEM and developing various thematic maps using
information value method based on ILWIS-3.3 software in GIS environment. Using above information probable
immediate trouble locations have been identified on State Highway No.72 between Poladpur and
Mahabaleshawar.Cross verification for few of such spots has been made by visiting locations proper, making
observations and collecting data as well as photographs from site. Good agreement between these identified trouble
locations and actual site-spots is noticed confirming the utility of method. The information can be useful for
planning disaster preventive / mitigation measures.

INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

The possibility of natural hazard should
berecognized in advance and efforts should be
made tominimize threat to human life andproperty.
Landslide is such type of hazard usually triggered
by the tectonic movements, earthquakes, heavy
precipitation and those factors induced due to
change in land use such as felling of trees,
agriculture, mining and road cutting in hilly terrain.
Landslides may result in loss to property and life as
well as may disrupt traffic in hilly region by
blocking the roads.In Western Ghats (recently
declared as World Heritage by UNESCO) many
human habitats, tourist places and roads/highways
are vulnerable to landslide-hazards. With this
background study area/region is chosen as
“Mahabaleshwar-Poladpur Road (State Highway
No.-72)” which runs through hilly ghat region in
Western Maharashtra. This highway is blocked
many times in rainy season because of landslides
and hence due attention must be given to assess
probable sites/spots i.e. geographically critical
areas prone to landslides hazard. Remotely Sensed
(RS) data and tools from GIS with software ILWIS
3.3 have been used for the analysis with an
objective to identifyprobable immediate trouble
locations on this State Highway No.-72.
The Western Ghats from Maharashtra, along the
Konkan coast, though located in a relatively stable
domain, experience the fury of the landslide hazard
due to steep hill slopes, greater overburden and
high intensity rainfall. Landslide is a general term
used to describe the down-slope movement of soil,
rock and organic material under the influence of
gravity. Though most slopes appear stable and
static; they actually may not be stable systems. It is
with this background that study region is selected
as State Highway No.72 between Poladpur and
Mahabaleshawar, region from Western Ghats in
Maharashtra.
The objective is to develop landslide hazard
zonation map for this region and identify
immediate trouble points along State Highway
No.72 between Poladpur and Mahabaleshawar.The
map has an inbuilt element of forecasting and is of
probabilistic nature. Depending upon the
methodology adopted and the comprehensive
nature of the input data used, a landslide hazard
zonation map can be used to provide the type and
occurrence time aspect of landslide, extent of the
slope area likely to be affected and rate of mass
movement of the slope mass. The vulnerability
assessment can be done from the landslide hazard
zonation map and the physical, social, economic
vulnerability can also be assessed. Proper

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Wagh ,K .S.,&Deshpande, P. K

preventive measures can be suggested according to Flow Accumulation map

severity and vulnerability at a location. Flow Direction map
The utility of remote sensing and GIS technic for Flow Type Map
generation of the thematic layers and an integrated Landslide Risk zone map
approach to evaluate layer wise influence on Road Vulnerability map
landslide occurrence [1,2,3] has been described and Landslide Susceptibility map
illustrated. RS data and GIS tools can be used Road Immediate Trouble zone map
along with software ILWIS-3.3 for this purpose. Immediate Trouble Point…Location Road map
Analysis leads to DEM and developing various Immediate trouble locations are site-spots, along
thematic maps using information value method the State Highway stretch between Mahabaleshwar
based on ILWIS-3.3 software in GIS environment. and Poladpur, which are prone to landslide-hazard
Using above information probable immediate in near future.
trouble locations can be identified on State Immediate Trouble Point/spot Locations in terms
Highway No.72 between Poladpur and of the Longitudes and Latitudes are given below in
Mahabaleshawar. Immediate trouble locations are Table 1.
site-spots which are prone to landslide-hazard in
near future. Table 1Immediate Trouble Point Locations
Point No. Latitude Longitude
DATA AND PROCESS
The region selected for the study is geographically
1 170 55‟29.9” N 730 38‟11.1” E
located between Poladpur (17° 59´ 07. 45 N -73°
2 170 54‟49.2” N 730 37‟55.7” E
27´ 59. 89 E) and Mahabaleshawar (17° 55´ 08. 76
N - 73° 39´ 32 .64 E). 3 170 54‟58.7” N 730 37‟32.5” E
The geology of this hilly region comprises of 4 170 55‟10.7” N 730 37‟38.9” E
sloping basaltic trap overlaid by a light capping of 5 170 55‟31.7” N 730 37‟26.7” E
lateritic overburden. Lithomarch clay is present 6 170 56‟39.8” N 730 35‟15.0” E
between sloping basaltic trap and lateritic
7 170 56‟51.6” N 730 34‟50.1” E
overburden.
The region has steep Westwards slopes and 8 170 56‟56.4” N 730 34‟33.3” E
experiences heavy rain-fall during monsoon. 9 170 56‟46.1” N 730 34‟30.2” E
Data from Cartosat-1, DEM 2012 with spatial 10 170 56‟24.1” N 730 34‟19.3” E
0
resolution 2.5m and IKONOS -1M PAN 11 17 56‟13.7” N 730 34‟02.3” E
sharpened MSS from Google Earth have been Here only two maps as Landslide susceptibility
used. map and Immediate Trouble Point Locations map
Analysis involves DEM and developing various are included in the paper.
thematic maps using information value method
based on ILWIS-3.3 software in GIS environment. Photograph -1: Landslide susceptibility map.

OUTPUT
RS data from Cartosat-1, DEM 2012 with spatial
resolution 2.5m and IKONOS -1M PAN
sharpened MSS from Google Earth have been used
and processed in GIS environment with software
ILWIS-3.3 so that DEM and various thematic maps
are obtained as output. Output consists of :
Digital Elevation Model
Slope map
Slope direction map
Lithology Map

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Red -- Very high susceptibility
Yellow – High susceptibility
Greenish Blue – Very low susceptibility
It is seen that there is a vast region having very
high susceptibility and a considerable part of it is
nearby the existing State Highway.
Photograph -2: Immediate Trouble Point
Locations map.
CONCLUSIONS
The immediate Trouble Points, eleven in number,
have been interpretedalong Mahabaleshwar-
Poladpur Road (State Highway No.-72) from
analysis with use of RS and GIS and software
ILWIS-3.3.
Good agreement between these identified
immediate trouble points and actual locations at
site is noticed confirming the utility of method.
Debris flow, Rock avalanche and creep due to
plastic outflow of lithomarch clay are common
types of landslide features observed at site.
The landslide hazard zonation map can help
planners to prepare and plan mitigation against, the
effects of landslides on communities and
infrastructure.
Landslide locations and vulnerability assessment in RS/GIS environment.
The landslide hazard zonation map can help
planners to assess and analyze different types of
vulnerabilities, for minimizing the risks associated
with new developments. The information obtained
can be useful for NDMA in planning mitigation
strategy.
It is felt that landslide hazard zonation mapping
may be carried out for the Western Ghat region
from Maharashtra, especially for vulnerability
assessment of settlement along high altitudes of
Sahyadri upper reaches.
The need is felt to develop the continuous
monitoring system, with the help of high resolution
data and GIS technology, which can monitor the
probable movements of the hazardous area leading
to disasters.
REFERENCES
1. Kanungo, D.P. and Sarkar, S., (2003).
„Landslides and terrain parameters in
Darjeeling Himalaya‟. Himalayan Geology,
Dehradun, Vol.24. pp.55-62.
2. Sarkar, S. and Kanungo, D.P., (2004), „An
integrated approach for Landslide
Susceptibility Mapping using remote sensing
and GIS‟. Photogrammetric Engineering and
Remote Sensing, Vol.70, No.5 pp.617-625.
3. Deshpande, P.K. , Patil J.R., Nainwal,
D.C.andKulkarni, M.B., „Landslide hazard
zonation mapping in Gopeshwar, Pipalkoti and
Nandprayag areas of Uttarakhand‟.Proceedings
of Indian Geotechnical Conference-2009,
Guntur, Volume-I,pp-808-814.
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