Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from Croatia
This study aims to improve the accuracy of small-scale landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) by comparing two critical terrain factors—slope and relief energy. Slope is commonly used in LSMs, but its values are significantly sensitive to the spatial resolution of digital elevation models (DEMs). Alth...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/13/2142 |
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| author | Iris Bostjančić Vlatko Gulam Davor Pollak Tihomir Frangen |
| author_facet | Iris Bostjančić Vlatko Gulam Davor Pollak Tihomir Frangen |
| author_sort | Iris Bostjančić |
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| description | This study aims to improve the accuracy of small-scale landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) by comparing two critical terrain factors—slope and relief energy. Slope is commonly used in LSMs, but its values are significantly sensitive to the spatial resolution of digital elevation models (DEMs). Although some studies have also addressed the effect of DEM resolution on relief parameters, direct comparisons between slope and relief energy remain limited. This research examines how these factors perform at different DEM resolutions and compare them to identify the most effective predictor for small-scale LSMs. Using the frequency ratio method, two LSM scenarios were evaluated: one using slope alongside geological units, and another using relief energy instead of slope, with various neighborhood distances. The study was conducted over a 29,785 km<sup>2</sup> area in the Pannonian part of Croatia. The findings indicate that relief energy is more stable across different DEM resolutions and enhances the accuracy of LSMs, particularly in large and geologically diverse regions. These results suggest that relief energy may serve as a more reliable factor for small-scale LSMs, offering practical implications for improving landslide risk prediction and land management strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8109cf9cc3d34e1b9ba8fd0d6b255e89 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj-art-8109cf9cc3d34e1b9ba8fd0d6b255e892025-07-11T14:42:15ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-06-011713214210.3390/rs17132142Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from CroatiaIris Bostjančić0Vlatko Gulam1Davor Pollak2Tihomir Frangen3Croatian Geological Survey, Sachsova 2, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaCroatian Geological Survey, Sachsova 2, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaCroatian Geological Survey, Sachsova 2, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaCroatian Geological Survey, Sachsova 2, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaThis study aims to improve the accuracy of small-scale landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) by comparing two critical terrain factors—slope and relief energy. Slope is commonly used in LSMs, but its values are significantly sensitive to the spatial resolution of digital elevation models (DEMs). Although some studies have also addressed the effect of DEM resolution on relief parameters, direct comparisons between slope and relief energy remain limited. This research examines how these factors perform at different DEM resolutions and compare them to identify the most effective predictor for small-scale LSMs. Using the frequency ratio method, two LSM scenarios were evaluated: one using slope alongside geological units, and another using relief energy instead of slope, with various neighborhood distances. The study was conducted over a 29,785 km<sup>2</sup> area in the Pannonian part of Croatia. The findings indicate that relief energy is more stable across different DEM resolutions and enhances the accuracy of LSMs, particularly in large and geologically diverse regions. These results suggest that relief energy may serve as a more reliable factor for small-scale LSMs, offering practical implications for improving landslide risk prediction and land management strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/13/2142digital elevation model (DEM)LiDARGISsloperelief energylandslide susceptibility mapping |
| spellingShingle | Iris Bostjančić Vlatko Gulam Davor Pollak Tihomir Frangen Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from Croatia Remote Sensing digital elevation model (DEM) LiDAR GIS slope relief energy landslide susceptibility mapping |
| title | Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from Croatia |
| title_full | Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from Croatia |
| title_fullStr | Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from Croatia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from Croatia |
| title_short | Comparative Analysis of Slope and Relief Energy for Small-Scale Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Insights from Croatia |
| title_sort | comparative analysis of slope and relief energy for small scale landslide susceptibility mapping insights from croatia |
| topic | digital elevation model (DEM) LiDAR GIS slope relief energy landslide susceptibility mapping |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/13/2142 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT irisbostjancic comparativeanalysisofslopeandreliefenergyforsmallscalelandslidesusceptibilitymappinginsightsfromcroatia AT vlatkogulam comparativeanalysisofslopeandreliefenergyforsmallscalelandslidesusceptibilitymappinginsightsfromcroatia AT davorpollak comparativeanalysisofslopeandreliefenergyforsmallscalelandslidesusceptibilitymappinginsightsfromcroatia AT tihomirfrangen comparativeanalysisofslopeandreliefenergyforsmallscalelandslidesusceptibilitymappinginsightsfromcroatia |