Landslide Susceptibility for the Administrative Area of Breaza, Prahova County, Curvature Subcarpathians, România

Abstract

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The evaluation of landslide susceptibility requires understanding of the spatial distribution of the factors that control slope instability. It is known that the behaviour of landslides is difficult to evaluate because of the various factors that trigger mass movements. The methodology used is very diverse, based on statistical methods, probabilistic methods, deterministic methods, empirical methods or a combination of them. The main factors used for landslide susceptibility assessment are composed from basic morphometric parameters, such as slope gradient, curvature, aspect, solar radiation etc in combination with lithology, land-use/land-cover, soil types or soil properties. For this study it was decided to use only four factors: slope gradient, lithology, land-use/land-cover and a topographic wetness index. The study area spreads over approximate 50 km and represents the administrative area of Breaza town, located along the Prahova River in the Curvature Subcarpathians, Romania. This area is highly affected by mass movements, spread on the entire hillslopes. Over 70% of the area is moderately or highly susceptible to landslides.