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Landslide vulnerability assessment based on entropy method: a case study from Kegalle district, Sri Lanka

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Abstract

The concept of landslide vulnerability to a given location is hard to quantify. Few studies have been carried to determine susceptibility using social and physical factors. This study is the first attempt in Sri Lanka to quantify level of vulnerability by integrating major physical and social indicators to map the spatial distribution of vulnerability. Considering the limitations of traditional weight evaluation method in calculation of the multiple indicators and ignorance of the associations among evaluating indicators, a new weight evaluation process, entropy method was introduced in this study. This improved method for determination of weight of the evaluating indicators was applied to estimate weight for the 14 selected indicators. The primary data were obtained from a comprehensive questioner survey (n = 402) of households or buildings (elements) with their coordinates based on a spatially balanced approach for ensuring spatial coverage of the entire landslide distribution. The spatial distribution of vulnerability was mapped using Kriging interpolation. According to the map, landslide vulnerabilities in the study area demonstrate notable regional specifications. Besides, the spatial distribution of vulnerability has shown a close relationship with rural and urban settlements. Results of spatial vulnerability reflect discrimination and inequalities in the development of the study area. According to landslide vulnerability analyses, 14.6% (247 km2) of the entire area is found to be the highest vulnerable zone for a landslide and 39.8% (675 km2) of area categorized under the lowest zone to vulnerability. Further, the study revealed a reasonable contribution by entropy method on analysis of social and physical indicators, which is useful for other vulnerability assessments.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Eng. (Dr.) Asiri Karunawardena, Director General of National Building Research Organization and Dr. H.A.G. Jayatissa, Director of Landslide Research & Risk Management Division of National Building Research Organization for their great support by providing landslide information. Especial thanks for the Center for Forestry and Environment for their voluble help. This study was supported by a Faculty of Graduate Studies, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura for Ph.D. candidate Mr. E.N.C. Perera.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Human Resource Advancement (IHRA), University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    E. N. C. Perera

  2. Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

    E. N. C. Perera

  3. Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Faculty of Applied Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

    D. T. Jayawardana

  4. Landslide Division, National Building Research Organization, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    P. Jayasinghe

  5. Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan

    Manjula Ranagalage

  6. Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, 50300, Sri Lanka

    Manjula Ranagalage

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  1. E. N. C. Perera
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  2. D. T. Jayawardana
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  3. P. Jayasinghe
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  4. Manjula Ranagalage
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Perera, E.N.C., Jayawardana, D.T., Jayasinghe, P. et al. Landslide vulnerability assessment based on entropy method: a case study from Kegalle district, Sri Lanka. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 5, 1635–1649 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-019-00615-w

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