Landslide susceptibility zonation in the Rio Mendoza Valley, Argentina

A qualitative landslide susceptibility zonation map (scale 1:100,000) of a sector of the Río Mendoza Valley was prepared by overlapping thematic maps of conditioning factors. The main parameters affecting the distribution of landslides in the area were ranked according to slope instability. Geomorphological surveys and field observations enabled identification of 300 historical or prehistoric landslides. A landslide inventory was developed classifying the processes involved in slope instability, and analysing the degree of activity. The two most influential factors in decreasing slope stability were lithology and slope angle.