Abstract:
Flat landslides, typically characterized by crack grooves, are a common type of special disasters in southwestern China. However, the dense vegetation and complex terrain in disaster-developed areas limit the efficiency of conventional ground or remote sensing (RS) survey methods in the identification and extraction of disaster information. As one of the emerging remote sensing technologies, the airborne LiDAR technology and its data visualization analysis methods provide a new solution for the accurate identification of flat landslides. First, the high resolution digital elevation model (HRDEM) can be obtained using the UAV airborne LiDAR. Then, the HRDEM can be combined with visualization methods including sky view factor (SVF), hillshades, and 3D morphology simulation for the effective identification of flat landslides and their crack grooves. This study investigated the newly identified landslide hazard in the southern part of Nuoguzhai Village, Chunzai Town, Tongjiang County, northern Sichuan Province. The comprehensive RS identification method was used to realize the construction of landslide identification signs, the determination of the landslide boundary, the identification of crack groove position, and information extraction based on airborne LiDAR data. Combined with the results of field surveys, the effectiveness of the airborne LiDAR technology for the identification of flat landslides and their crack grooves in highly vegetation-covered areas was verified from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The related study results can be used as a reference for the early identification, monitoring, and prevention of flat landslides.