Landslide temporal analysis and susceptibility assessment as bases for landslide mitigation, Machu Picchu, Peru

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences 2013-09, Vol.70 (2), p.913-925
• Main Author: KLIMES, Jan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aerial photography; Aerials; Assessments; Biogeosciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Science and Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Geological hazards; Geology; Hazard mitigation; Historic sites; Hydrology/Water Resources; Landslides; Landslides & mudslides; Mapping; Natural hazards: prediction, damages, etc; Original Article; Risk assessment; Slope stability; Slopes; Studies; Temporal logic; Terrestrial Pollution; World Heritage Areas
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-012-2181-2

Multi-temporal landslide occurrence information acquired through aerial photo interpretation and field mapping was used to assess occurrence frequencies on the slopes around the UNESCO cultural world heritage site of Machu Picchu, Peru. This showed that the coarse time resolution of the historical landslide information may lead to inaccurate interpretations regarding landslide occurrence frequencies in some parts of the study area. In addition, the assumption that the past landslide frequency can be used to describe the future landslide occurrence was not proved in the study area. Thereafter, unique conditional analyses were undertaken to assess landslide susceptibility using a limited number of preparatory factor maps. It showed that large majority of the Inca City is located on least susceptible areas within the region. The results of the susceptibility assessment combined with landslide occurrence frequencies may serve as a basis for the landslide hazard mitigation in the studied area. For these purposes, pixel-based susceptibility maps were generalized into expert-defined landslide management units. These units provide site managers with easily understandable and applicable hence reliable information about future landslide occurrences. An approach describing usage of the resulting susceptibility maps for onsite mitigation purposes was described with respect to the needs of Machu Picchu site managers.