Landslide hazard mapping along the coastline of the Cilento region (Italy) by means of a GIS-based parameter rating approach

This paper deals with the heuristic approach used for landslide hazard zonation along the coastal slopes and cliffs of the Cilento region between Agropoli and Sapri (Italy). This sector of coastline (about 118 km in length) is formed mainly of Mesozoic carbonates and Miocene flysch; Quaternary marine sandstones together with beach sands also crop out. Due to the destructive force of the waves, the coastline is affected by several landslides (mainly rock-falls and slides). The major geomorphological, geological and structural features of about 154 slopes and cliffs have been analysed and several parameters affecting the rock-masses were detected and measured. These parameters deal with topographical, geological, geomechanical, environmental and wave hydraulic characteristics of the studied area. In order to perform the heuristic approach, the Rock Engineering Systems (RES) proposed by Hudson was adopted with several modifications. The main steps of this work were: (1) the choice of parameters relevant to landslide hazard zonation, (2) the analysis of binary interaction between parameters, (3) the weighting of interaction importance, (4) the rating assignment to different classes of parameter values and (5) the final computation of an “Instability Index” (I.I.). A database containing the measured parameters was prepared, and using an interaction matrix, the outputs were linked into a Geographic Information System. It contains the following elements: geological and geomorphological features, historical data regarding landslides, images and values of I.I. for the studied slopes and cliffs. If new landslides occur or near-shore engineered structures are built, then the I.I. values will be automatically upgraded.Values of the I.I. were grouped into 3 classes marking low, medium and high landslide hazard. Both carbonatic rock-masses and flysch were distinguished with respect to I.I. values to show the differences in landslide susceptibility. In fact, rapid but small rock-falls can cause more casualties than moderate speed but large slides. High landslide hazard affects about 41% of carbonate cliffs and about 53% of slopes in arenaceous-marly flysch.