Characterization and Geomorphic Change Detection of Landslides Using UAV Multi-Temporal Imagery in the Himalayas, Pakistan

Naseem Ahmad, Muhammad Shafique, Mian Luqman Hussain, Fakhrul Islam, Aqil Tariq () and Walid Soufan
Additional contact information
Naseem Ahmad: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Muhammad Shafique: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Mian Luqman Hussain: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Fakhrul Islam: Department of Geology, Khushal Khan Khattak University, Karak 27200, Pakistan
Aqil Tariq: Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Forest Resource, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9690, USA
Walid Soufan: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-26

Abstract: Multi-temporal unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery and topographic data were used to characterize and evaluate the geomorphic changes of two active landslides (Nara and Nokot) in Pakistan. Ortho-mosaic images and field-based investigations were utilized to assess the geomorphological changes, including the Topographic Wetness Index, slope, and displacement. Volumetric changes in specific areas of the landslides were measured using the Geomorphic Change Detection (GCD) tool. The depletion zone of the Nara landslide was characterized by failures of the main scarps, resulting in landslides causing erosional displacements exceeding 201.6 m. In contrast, for the Nokot landslide, the erosional displacement ranged from −201.05 m to −64.98 m. The transition zone of the slide experienced many slow earth flows that re-mobilized displaced material from the middle portion of the landslide, ultimately reaching the accumulation zone. Volumetric analysis of the Nara landslide indicated overall erosion of landslide material with a volume of approximately 4,565,274.96 m 3 , while the accumulated and surface-raising material volume was approximately 185,544.53 m 3 . Similarly, for the Nokot landslide, the overall erosion of landslide material was estimated to be 6,486,121.30 m 3 , with an accumulated volume and surface-raising material of 117.98 m 3 . This study has demonstrated the efficacy of the GCD tool as a robust and repeatable method for mapping and monitoring landslide dynamics with UAVs over a relatively long time series.

Keywords: unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); GCD; surface movement; point cloud; orthomosaic; DSM; landslide (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/7/904/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/7/904/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:7:p:904-:d:1419754

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().