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A new slope unit extraction method for regional landslide analysis based on morphological image analysis

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Abstract

In landslide analysis it is necessary to first define and extract slope units from remotely sensed data. When this is done using hydrological process analysis, there can be complications caused by apparent sudden changes in slope gradient, resulting in the assumption of homogeneity of regional slope stability not being met. This issue is addressed in this paper with the proposal of a novel slope unit extraction method, which is derived from morphological image analysis (MIA) and results in the extraction of homogeneous slope units (HSU). It is thus referred to as the MIA-HSU method. In this method, slope units are defined as small, closed and homogeneous in 3D space. The MIA method uses logical algorithms, such as expansion and erosion, to extract slope units. Jiangjia Gully, Yunnan Province, China was selected to test the MIA-HSU method. Results indicate that slope units extracted by this method overcome defects of sudden changes in slope gradient and are able to identify geographical features meaningful for further landslide analysis. The MIA-HSU method presents a more uniform slope and aspect, and is better suited to regional landslide analysis than data obtained using the hydrological process analysis method.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Service Network Initiative (No. KFJ-SW-STS-180) and the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Land, Resources and Housing Administration (no. KJ-2018005). We thank Warwick Hastie, PhD, from Liwen Bianji, Edanz Group China (www.liwenbianji.cn/ac), for editing the English text of a draft of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Kai Wang, Shaojie Zhang & Ricardo DelgadoTéllez

  2. Institute of Civil Engineering, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450007, China

    Kai Wang

  3. Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China

    Fangqiang Wei

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Correspondence to Shaojie Zhang.

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Wang, K., Zhang, S., DelgadoTéllez, R. et al. A new slope unit extraction method for regional landslide analysis based on morphological image analysis. Bull Eng Geol Environ 78, 4139–4151 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-018-1389-0

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