Databases and GIS for landslide research in Europe

Within the project ''The Temporal occurrence and forecasting of landslides in the European Community'' a review of the use of databases and GIS for landslide research has been accomplished. It shows a high potential of these techniques in storing spatial and temporal landslide data (landslide inventories) and in applying different modelling approaches to landslide hazard assessments at various scales. There are three major strategies in European landslide research using GIS and database technologies. At medium and broad scales different combinations of landslide data with factor maps (e.g. slope angle, lithology and geomorphological units) lead to static susceptibility and hazard assessments, which allow probability evaluations for future landslide occurrences. At local scales process models to simulate trajectories of paths for slope processes and deterministic slope stability models are in use. In landslide frequency analysis, temporal database information are correlated with recent and historical triggering factors (e.g. precipitation and precipitation indices) to calculate temporal probabilities for landslide forecasting. However, despite encouraging progress in applying computer technologies in European landslide research, the potential of these tools is still largely untested. Furthermore, it is clear that sophisticated technology cannot replace field work, interdisciplinary research strategies, and critical testing of the reliability of the model results.