Sådhanå (2024)49:229 Ó Indian Academy of Sciences

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-024-02579-9Sadhana(0123456789().,-volV)FT3](012345
6789().,-volV)

Landslide hazard vulnerability assessment using surface wave method

coupled with slope stability analysis: a case study
TASSAR PANA , JUMRIK TAIPODIA* , PHURBA DORJEE PHILLEY and
ADITYA KUMAR ANSHU

Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Jote, Arunachal Pradesh, India
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

MS received 27 October 2023; revised 26 February 2024; accepted 14 May 2024

Abstract. Natural hazards like landslides can have devastating consequences. The study of landslide causes
and their vulnerability assessment will assist in implementing appropriate mitigation approaches so as to protect
lives and property. Landslides are complex phenomena that primarily depend on the geometry of the slope
inclination and the soil properties. Soil characteristics are mostly determined by the shear modulus of the
subsurface layers, which is often approximated from the observed shear wave velocity (Vs). This paper is
focused on assessing the vulnerability status of a site, especially through applications of the multichannel
analysis of surface waves (MASW) approach. Improvements in Landslide hazard safety will be aided by the
identification of unstable slopes; hence it is necessary to create the quick and affordable method for safety
evaluation that is envisioned in this study. The study displays a graphical relationship between VH (average shear
wave velocity) and Slope gradient (H°) in order to detect the potentially unstable slopes. The proposed curve
presented by inputting the Slope inclination and VH will be helpful in identifying and categorizing the slope into
high, low and medium risk zones. This graphical relationship was practically validated based on the data
gathered from eight stations spread throughout the various areas of Itanagar capital complex, Arunachal Pradesh,
India. It was found that the relationship developed showed good prediction performance. The vulnerability of a
landslide hazard can therefore be assessed using that vulnerability assessment curve by keeping an eye on
monitoring the shear wave velocity and slope gradients.

Keywords. Average shear wave velocity; slope stability; factor of safety; landslide vulnerability; stability
assessment; slope gradients.

1. Introduction stable state to unstable one. The primary factor causing this
phenomenon is the decline in the shear strength of the slope
Landslides are a common natural hazard and a serious material. If the slope material is having a high stiffness, the
threat to both people and the environment in several global chances of landslides reduce as stiffer material will have
regions. Likewise, the occurrence of landslides has posed a higher shear strength. Various case studies examining the
significant issue for the inhabitants of India’s North-Eastern corelation between soil properties and landslide occurrence
region, particularly in the mountainous regions of Aruna- indicate that the soil cited in landslide sites is problematic
chal Pradesh. Various instances of landslides are reported soil and thus prone to landslides. Kitutu et al found that
to occur every year in the Itanagar Capital Complex areas landslide occurrence is prevalent in regions where sandy
of Arunachal Pradesh [1–5] causing significant casualties loams underlain by sandy clayey soils are present [6]. The
and socio-economic impacts. Analysing the risk of land- study by researchers [7–9] shows that the presence of clay
slides can be helpful in providing useful information for content contributes to landslide occurrence. The influence
preventing catastrophic damage. The analysis can be used of the soil properties on the landslide occurrence is depicted
to ascertain the factors that contributes the occurrence of in case studies by Zung et al and Nseka et al [10, 11], etc.,
landslides and to assess the relative impacts of these factors implying that soil properties are one of the important fac-
causing the slope failures. tors contributing to landslides.
Landslides frequently occur when a slope (or a section of Dai et al has stated that topographic slope gradient serves
a slope) passes through a series of action that transit it from as a significant indicator for identifying the location sus-
ceptible to landslide hazards [12]. Likelihood of a landslide
occurrence increases when the site is steep or gradient of
*For correspondence
229 Page 2 of 15 Sådhanå (2024)49:229

the slope is high [13, 14]. Slope gradient is frequently assess the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed
utilized in landslide susceptibility studies as suggested by graphical relation.
the literatures that are currently available [15–17].
The literature available indicates that the landslide vul-
nerability is dependent on the slope gradients and slope’s 2.1 Geophysical investigations by MASW
material properties. Therefore, an attempt has been made in
this paper for rapid assessment of a slope’s vulnerability MASW, an in-situ non-invasive approach that measures the
using the slope material properties and slope gradients. shear-wave velocity (Vs) variations within the surveyed
Slope materials properties can be evaluated in terms of area by recording, analysing, and processing seismic sur-
face waves [27]. Shear wave velocity is a direct indicator of
stiffness of the materials. The shear wave velocity has a
ground stiffness and can therefore be utilised to address a
direct relationship with both the Young’s and the shear
variety of geotechnical engineering issues relating to
moduli, hence stiffness of the soil may be evaluated in
bearing capacity and dynamic response, among other
terms of shear wave velocity. MASW (Multichannel
Analysis of Surface Waves) [18] approach is employed in applications [28–31]. For the proposed study, seismic sig-
this study to provide shear wave velocity in order to obtain nals produced by a 10 kg sledgehammer were recorded
information about the soil material. using 24 channels of 4.5 Hz geophones arranged in a linear
Various case studies using the MASW technique for array.
Figure 1 depicts the various steps involved in a MASW
landslide-prone areas have been conducted in the past. The
survey. Based on the collected seismic wave records, dis-
majority of the case studies [19–21] focused on character-
persion images of higher resolution are generated by dis-
ising the landslide area via using MASW methodologies.
persion analysis of the raw data. Dispersion Image are the
The studies examining the relationship between shear wave
velocity and the factor of Safety on different slope gradient representation of the phase velocity-frequency-amplitude
is yet to be developed. Factor of safety indicates the sta- inter relationship. In this imaging process, the multichannel
bility of slope. If factor of safety is greater than 1 than the record in the time-space (t-x) domain is translated into
slope is considered to be stable. Factor of safety is the ratio frequency-wave number (f-k) or frequency-phase velocity
(f-C) domain using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
of the ultimate shear strength divided by the mobilized
[32, 33]. When the higher energies are mostly concentrated
shear stress at incipient failure. Decreasing slope angle
over thinner bands, a dispersion image is said to have a
increases the factor of safety of slopes nearly linearly while
higher resolution [34]. To enhance the resolution of a dis-
decreasing slope height increases the factor of safety at
different rates [22]. persion, stacking (i.e., combination of the multiple shots of
In this work, graphical corelation between Factor of dispersion image), filtering and muting (i.e., alienating and
Safety of slopes at varying gradients and Shear wave suppressing all the undesired noises) are generally adopted
velocity at varying depth are established and based on this during pre-processing step [35, 36]. The same approach
was employed in this investigation to produce the disper-
relationship a safety assessment curves are proposed. The
sion image with the maximum resolution, as shown in
proposed curve will allow for the early identification of
figure 1(c).
potentially unstable slopes by measuring the soil stiffness
The wavefield records that were gathered in the field
from MASW survey. Slope stability of the particular site
can be assessed by carrying out MASW survey. after properly subjecting to dispersion analysis and dis-
persion curve extraction, inversion analysis is conducted
which forms the third and final module of a MASW survey.
Through inversion analysis using Surfseis software, the
2. Methodology
shear wave velocity profile along the depth of the subsur-
face are deciphered [37].
The primary objective of the present paper is to propose a
The term ‘‘Shear wave velocity’’ pertains to the spatial
relationship between slope gradients and shear wave
variation of velocity along the depth. Rather than using a
velocity of a landslide prone area. Active MASW survey
spatial variable for comparison, it is more computationally
and Geostudio SLOPE/W analysis are deployed for the
efficient to use a constant term. Thus, in this study, VH
analysis of the study. The stability study of the slope is
values are employed rather than the spatial variable shear
performed using Geostudio SLOPE/W. MASW aspect is
wave velocity. VH is referred as the average shear-wave
focussed on analysing the site’s Vs value [23–26] and it is
velocity in the top ‘‘H’’ m depth.
anticipated that by inputting the values of Vs and Slope
According to Kanli et al [24] and Anbhazghan and
gradients, vulnerability assessment of landslide hazards can
Sitaram [25], the average shear wave velocity for the depth
be done rapidly and economically. The geotechnical data
‘d’ of soil is referred to as VH. The average shear wave
and slope stability in terms of Factor of Safety are evalu-
velocity up to a depth of H (VH) is computed as VH ¼
ated and calibrated with the proposed relation so as to
Sådhanå (2024)49:229 Page 3 of 15 229

Figure 1. Steps involved in an Active MASW survey- a) data acquisition at field, b) collection of raw data, c) generation of dispersion
image and d) final Vs profile obtained after inversion analysis.

P
PH hi where H is the di is the cumulative depth in several experimental slip surfaces. There are many
i¼1;N Vi
approaches for calculating the factor of safety. Most typical
meter. formula assumes that the F is constant throughout time and
For this particular study, the average shear-wave velocity may be divided into two types: Force equilibrium and
in the upper ‘‘H’’ m (VH) is obtained in accordance with the Moment equilibrium [38].
following equation [24]: The factor of safety in the category of slope stability
H studies is defined as the ratio of the shear strength divided
VH ¼ P hi
ð1Þ by the shear stress required for equilibrium of the slope
i¼1;N Vi
[39–43] as shown in equation (2):
where hi and Vi are the thickness (in metres) and shear-
Shear Strength ðc þ r tan Þ
wave velocity (in metres per second) of the ith layer in the F¼ ð2Þ
top ‘‘H’’ m of a total of N layers. This should not be Shear Stress required for equilibrium
interpreted as indicating that the depth range of ‘‘H’’ m is where, F = Factor of Safety, c = Cohesion intercept, ø =
the key depth range, but rather that VH is associated with Angel of internal friction, r = normal stress on slip surface.
the complete soil profile [24]. Whereas, Vs gives the sum of The slope stability assessment carried out with the
the transit periods for shear waves travelling through each geotechnical computer programme SLOPE/W (Geo-Slope
layer. 2021) software. Creating models in SLOPE/W requires the
real site problem to be idealized in the software for anal-
ysis. Field and Laboratory experiments are carried out in
2.2 Slope stability analysis order to generate models in Geo-Slope, replicating the
The stability study of any natural or manmade slope aims to ground conditions and soil property for SLOPE/W analysis.
determine the failure surface with the lowest factor of The slope geometry was evaluated using a theodolite sur-
safety value. To determine the minimum factor of safety, it vey and an inclinometer, as shown in the systematic dia-
is essential to identify the critical failure surface for the gram provided in figure 2a. Subsequently, field and
specified slope. It is feasible to determine the critical failure laboratory tests were carried out to determine the values of
surface for a given slope by comparing the safety factor of Unit weight, Cohesion, and Angle of Internal Friction of the
229 Page 4 of 15 Sådhanå (2024)49:229

Figure 2. Field and laboratory test conducted for collecting real site data.

soil samples taken from the site using sand replacement The results obtained from the field and laboratory tests
method, Modified Proctor Compaction, Oven Drying were the input parameters in the numerical model. The
Method, and Direct Shear test (figures 2b to 2e). The soil input shear parameters used for the stability analysis for
tests were performed at different depths depending on the various sites are shown in table 1. It can be seen that there
local site conditions and composition. Most of the soil are wide variations of slope angle in different sites.
samples were collected at the depth of 1.0 and 1.5 m SLOPE/W is a slope stability analysis tool based on
interval throughout the depth of investigation, based on Limit Equilibrium (LE), LE and Finite Element (FE)
which the soil properties of that particular sites were methodologies. It supports the majority of the leading LE
determined in the laboratory. and FE slope analysis techniques, including Bishop,
Spencer, Janbu, and Modified and Price, among others.

Table 1. Different input shear parameters used for the stability analysis.

VH Cohesion
Sl.No. Site Slope Angle (m/s) Unit Weight (kN/m3) (kN/m2) Phi
1 Mowb II 9° 185.04 13 7 28°
2 Donyi Polo 11° 195.817 16 11 24°
3 IG Park 12° 184.564 18 11 26°
4 Bage Tinali 15° 287.169 15 8 25°
5 ITBP 17° 165.616 18 18 22°
6 Jully 20° 195.845 17 9 23°
7 Mental Hospital, Yupia 29° 307.429 16 3 28°
8 Jollang 32° 216.395 14 6 26°
Sådhanå (2024)49:229 Page 5 of 15 229

Greater precision can be obtained by employing procedures 3.1 Establishing correlation between VH
that satisfy all conditions of equilibrium, such as Janbu’s and factor of safety
Generalized Procedure of Slices [44], Spencer’s Method
[45], or Morgenstern and Price’s Method [46]. In this study, After subjecting the raw data obtained by MASW survey,
the limit equilibrium Morgenstern-Price approach and the through the data pre-processing analysis and inversion
Mohr-Coulomb equation has both been employed in analysis, Vs profiles of each site was obtained as illustrated
SLOPE/W to derive the factor of safety (F). in figure 6. The Vs is obtained for varying depth.
The Morgenstern-Price approach [47] was adopted in the The hilly terrains offer various challenges to the tradi-
study as it takes into account both the moment equilibrium tional drilling and SPT test rendering difficulty in deducing
and the normal and tangential equilibrium for each slice on bore hole reports. Thus, borehole reports for most of the
any shape of slip surfaces. Thus, this approach enables sites are not available. However, borehole reports against
rapid assessment of slope stability of wide range of slope site no. 8 i.e. Mowb II site is available as shown in figure 7.
configurations with complex geometries. The summation of The 1D shear wave velocity obtained for the Mowb II is
moments about the centre of each slice’s base and the compared with the available bore reports as shown in
summation of forces tangential and normal to each slice’s figure 8. Actually, the N value obtained from the SPT test
base are used to solve it for the factor of safety (figures 3a is converted into shear wave velocity (Vs) by using the
and 3b). The force and moment equilibrium equations were various co-relationships developed by different authors
coupled, and the factor of safety satisfying the force and [47–50]. The Vs obtained from all the co-relationship is
moment equilibrium was solved using a modified Newton- averaged and shown in the table 2 and eventually a shear
Raphson numerical technique. wave velocity profile is obtained as shown in figure 8b.
The various numerical models prepared by replicating Based on the shear wave velocity (Vs) profile so
the slope geometry and soil property of the various sites are obtained, the average shear wave velocity up to ‘‘H’’ m
illustrated as shown in figure 4, depicting the dimensions distance (VH) is evaluated using the equation (1) for all the
(base length and slope height) of the slope and slip surfaces. eight sites.
Slope stability study was also carried out using the shear
strength characteristics of the earth composing the slope (c,
3. Vulnerability assessment of slope stability u and unit weight) in Geo-studio SLOPE/W software. A
significant number of models have been analysed in order
A total of eight (8) sites were investigated within the to determine the trend of changes in the factor of safety.
Capital Complex Itanagar of Arunachal Pradesh to obtain The number of slopes is modelled by varying the slope
the in-situ shear strength, slope geometry and Shear wave gradients while maintaining the shear strength parameters
velocity through MASW survey, laboratory and field tests. and unit weights constant in order to construct a database of
Map of the study area depicting the site location are gen- factor of safety. The Factor of Safety with respect to
erated using ArcGIS, as shown in figure 5.

Figure 3. a) A Representative diagram of slope model (dimensions in m) and b) Free body Diagram and Force Polygon of critical
surface computed by SLOPE/W.
229 Page 6 of 15 Sådhanå (2024)49:229

Figure 4. Numerical models of sites (All dimensions in m) – A) Bage Tinali, B) Donyi Polo road, C) IG Park, D) ITBP, E) Jollang, F)
Jully Basti, G) MH Yupia and H) Mowb II.
various slope gradients is determined after generating and 60°), as shown in Table 1. In order to explore the correla-
analysing all of the models, as shown in Table 3. tion between the VH and factor of safety, a graph was
A graphical relationship between VH and factor of safety plotted using the VH as the ordinate and the factor of safety
was established, correlating to the Factor of safety achieved as the abscissa, as shown in figure 9.
at different slope gradients (5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 30°, 50° and
Sådhanå (2024)49:229 Page 7 of 15 229

Figure 5. Map of the study area depicting the site location.

The stability state of a slope is provided by the factor of 3.2 Vulnerability risk assessment
safety. The slope is substantially more stable comparing to
other slopes having higher Factor of Safety value. In gen- An indicator-based chart to assess the relative vulnerability
eral, factors of safety greater than unity are considered level of a man-made slope or artificial slopes or a landslide
stable. It is quite imminent that the slope being unsta- hazard area is developed. Factor of safety of a site provides
ble increases as the slope gradient rises. Similar pattern was the vulnerability status. For a general slope stability anal-
also illustrated by the graph, that is as the slope gradients ysis of any permanent cuts, fills, and landslide slopes, a
increases from 5° to 60°, factor of safety is declining, minimum factor of safety of 1.25 is regarded as safe and in
implying that the slope became unstable irrespective of VH no case, the Factor of safety should be less than 1 [51].
parameters. Points corresponding to factor of safety equals to 1 and
The lower range of VH refers to weathered or soft soil, 1.25 are plotted in VH versus slope gradients graph. As
whereas the higher the value corresponds to hard or dense indicated in figure 8, the black and blue solid curve denotes
soil. Thus, the soil gains strength as VH increases, thereby the points corresponding to F = 1 and F = 1.25, respec-
increasing the factor of safety. These facts are consistent tively. These two curves denote the fragility state of a site.
with the graph’s depiction of the relationship, which states Based on the mathematical analysis of the curve, the
that for a given slope gradient, VH is directly proportional to polynomial equations are derived.
the factor of safety. The relationship plot in figure 9 also By applying linear regression on the sets of Slope gra-
indicates that the greatest value of VH does not always dients and VH values, the predictive equation was devel-
imply that it will be steady and stable. The slope with a oped for the above mentioned two curves. The regression-
higher VH value may also fail owing to numerous triggering based predictive equation developed for two curves is as
pressures such as weathering and incessant rainfall, or the follows:
slope is steep enough to make it unstable. y ¼ 0:0924 x þ 2:9026 ð3Þ
The graphical relationship between Factor of safety and
VH shows that a slope with gradients larger than 30° imparts y ¼ 0:0741 x þ 2:9086 ð4Þ
instability. And slope with gradients lesser than 20° are
safer and stable. As a result of this plot, we may deduce that Equation (3) denotes the black dotted line, derived by the
a man-made slope or embankment should be developed linear regression of datasets corresponding to F = 1. This
with a flatter slope, preferably less than 20°, depending on line can be termed as the upper fragility curve, owing to the
the necessity. fact that for F \ 1 (less than 1), landslide is more likely to
occur. Thus, sites located beyond this line will be unsafe.
Similarly, equation 4 describes the linear regression points
229 Page 8 of 15 Sådhanå (2024)49:229

Shear Wave Velocity (m/s) Shear Wave Velocity (m/s)

0 500 1000 1500 2000 0 100 200 300 400 500
0 0

5 2

Bage Tinali
Depth (m) 10 4

Depth (m)
Donyi Polo Road

15 6

20 8

(a ) 25 (b ) 10

Shear Wave Velocity (m/s) Shear Wave Velocity (m/s)

0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 0 100 200 300 400 500
0 0

10 5
IG Park ITBP

Depth (m)
Depth (m)

20 10

30 15

(c) 40 (d ) 20

Shear Wave Velocity (m/s) Shear Wave Velocity (m/s)

0 50 100 150 200 250 0 30 60 90 120 150 180
0 0

2 2
Jully Basti
Depth (m)

Depth (m)

4 4
Jollang Road

6 6

(e) 8 (f ) 8

Shear Wave Velocity (m/s) Shear Wave Velocity (m/s)

0 200 400 600 800 1000 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
0 0

5 2
Mowb II
Mental Hospital, 4
Depth (m)

10
Depth (m)

Yupia

15 6

20 8

( g) 25 (h) 10
 Sådhanå (2024)49:229 Page 9 of 15 229

b Figure 6. Vs Profile obtained corresponding to eight sites- a) of F = 1.25, denoted by blue dotted line. This is referred to
Bage Tinali, b) Donyi Polo road, c) IG Park, d) ITBP, e) Jollang, f) as the lower fragility curve. It can be claimed that the points
Jully basti, g) Mental Hospital, Yupia and h) Mowb II. that lie underneath this curve are secure and steady. This

BORE HOLE CHART

BORE HOLE NO : 01
NATURE OF WORK : Sub-soil investigation for TYPE OF BORING : Auger & Wash
Retaining Wall of Itanagar, Date Started : 26.07.19
Arunachal Pradesh Date Completed : 26.07.19
SAMPLE N-
DEPTH S.P.T
DESCRIPTION STRATA COLLECTED G.W.L VALUE
(m)
D.S U.S 10 20 30 40 50

01.00
01.50
25

02.00

Silty sand with

traces of clay.
03.00 03.00
20

04.00

04.50
16
05.00

Silty sand and

sand.
06.00
06.00 14

07.00
07.500 12

8.00

S.G. FOUNDATION & ENGINEERS

D.S: Disturbed Sample S.P.T : Standard Penetration Test
U.S: Undisturbed Sample G.W.L: Ground Water Level

Figure 7. Standard penetration test data along with typical borehole in the study area.
229 Page 10 of 15 Sådhanå (2024)49:229

Figure 8. 1-D shear wave velocity profile obtained from (a) MASW and (b) SPT N-value.

Table 2. Average shear wave velocity obtained from N value using various co-relations.

Imai and Tonouchi Chatterjee and Choudhury Anbazhagan et al Thaker and Rao
Depth [47] [48] [49] [50]
(M) N Value Vs = 97N^0.314 Vs = 78.21N^0.3767 Vs = 68.96N^0.51 Vs = 59.7N^0.42 Average
1.5 25 266.517 262.946 356.079 230.733 279.069
3 20 248.482 241.747 317.777 210.091 254.524
4.5 16 231.668 222.256 283.595 191.295 232.204
6 14 222.155 211.353 264.925 180.862 219.824
7.5 12 211.658 199.430 244.895 169.524 206.377

Table 3. Factor of safety obtained corresponding to soil types at

different slope gradients.
Factor of safety
VH (m/s)
H° 5° 10° 15° 20° 30° 50° 60°
165.616 3.269 2.366 1.535 0.977 0.597 0.482 0.196
185.04 3.87 2.588 1.938 1.094 0.698 0.511 0.271
195.845 4.237 2.696 2.139 1.109 0.727 0.624 0.298
216.395 4.588 2.924 2.232 1.232 0.789 0.657 0.368
287.169 5.45 3.308 2.583 1.343 0.877 0.665 0.403
307.429 5.754 3.413 2.825 1.401 0.909 0.724 0.46

study is limited to VH values of up to 400 m/s. However, a

wider variety of soil types that are likely to be encountered
for the prediction of slope stability can be integrated by Figure 9. Relationship between VH and Factor of safety with
expanding the curves for higher ranges of VH; where ‘‘x’’ regard to slope gradients.
variables represent the VH. This will make it possible to rapidly investigate vast areas while merely monitoring the
VH values only.
Sådhanå (2024)49:229 Page 11 of 15 229

landslide, that are exposed

earth cutting, earthquakes,

Highly unstable slopes that

slope may fail owing to

are likely to experience

Stable slope that are less

likely to collapse. The

or volcanic activities.
weathering and other
to incessant rainfall,
Slopes vulnerable to
Description of slope

triggering factors
landslides
Figure 10. Vulnerability assessment chart.

30-70 % chances of occurrence

> 70 % chances of occurrence

< 10 % chances of occurrence

Probability of landslide
occurrence
The vulnerability risk assessment chart serves as a
basic tool for evaluating potentially unstable soil slopes
that are subjected to the risks of landslide hazards.
According to this graph, a slope can be divided into three
landslide susceptibility zones, which are (a) High risk
zone, (b) Medium risk zone, and (c) Low risk zone, as
shown in figure 10. Table 4 provides a comprehensive
description of the possibility of a landslide occurring in
Table 4. Description of landslide susceptibility zone as per proposed vulnerability assessment chart.

terms of these three types of zones.

Based on the VH value measured from surface wave

Between the upper and lower

Above the upper fragility

Below the lower fragility

method, a slope failure can be easily predicted using the
vulnerability assessment chart. This will allow for easy
Location in chart

identification of landslide-prone locations and the fragility curve

curve

curve
implementation of suitable landslide risk management
strategies.

4. Validation of the study

This empirical landslide hazard assessment curve needs

to be calibrated and validated using a local or regional
real site database. By calculating the actual factor of
Safety of 8 (eight) sites under the Study area and com-
Vulnerability Zones

paring, it is possible to determine the accuracy of the

Medium risk zone

chart in terms of its landslide susceptibility prediction.

High risk zone

Low risk zone

Table 5 provides the actual slope gradient of the site and

its corresponding factor of safety evaluated following
slope stability analysis of the actual/real sites.
In the vulnerability assessment chart, the VH and Factor
of safety values corresponding to each study site were
displayed for validation as shown in figure 11.
Information provided in Table 5 demonstrate that slope
located in MH Yupia and Jollang site are have factor of
Category number

safety less than 1 (one), making them unstable. Addi-

tionally, figure 11 clearly demonstrates that the plots of
MH Yupia and Jollang are located in high-risk zones, that
exhibits a general agreement with the established curve.
Thus, the assessment of the database matches with the
III
II
I
229 Page 12 of 15 Sådhanå (2024)49:229

Table 5. Details of data obtained corresponding to eight sites surveyed.

Sl. No. Site Slope Gradients VH (m/s) Factor of safety (F) Stability Status
1 Bage Tinali 15° 287.169 2.583 Stable
2 Donyi Polo road 11° 195.817 2.5846 Stable
3 IG Park 12° 184.564 2.328 Stable
4 ITBP 17° 165.616 1.3118 Stable
5 Jollang 32° 216.395 0.872 Unstable
6 Jully basti 20° 195.845 1.109 Moderately unstable
7 Mental Hospital, Yupia 29° 307.429 0.9582 Unstable
8 Mowb II 9° 185.04 2.8444 Stable

curve fitted. Occurrence of landslide and erosion were also

reported on the unstable slope mentioned above as shown in
figure 12, indicating that the curve or chart developed is
true.
Similar findings were also observed at other sites too.
The sites (Mowb II, Donyi Polo, IG Park, and Bage Tinali)
with factor of safety larger than 2 are entirely stable and are
situated in the stable zone of the vulnerability assessment
chart. Whereas on the other hand, the site Jully is almost at
the verge of failure, which is also clearly indicated in the
graph. This demonstrates and proves the fact that the vul-
nerability assessment chart can be regarded as a crucial
input for the evaluation of the susceptibility to and danger
from landslides.

Figure 11. Validation of vulnerability risk assessment chart by

comparison with local site data.

Figure 12. Field photographs of the soil slope sections experiencing landslides at (a) Mental Hospital, Yupia and (b) Jollang.
Sådhanå (2024)49:229 Page 13 of 15 229

5. Discussions and conclusions References

Landslides are influenced by several triggering factors [1] Online document: India Today June 24, 2018. https://www.
which vary significantly from region to region. The quali- indiatoday.in/amp/india/story/landslide-kills-five-in-aruna
ties of the rocks, soils, and other geomaterials that make up chal-pradesh-1268737-2018-06-24
a slope frequently change dramatically over short distances [2] Online document: Northeast Now, July 17, 2019. https://
nenow.in/north-east-news/arunachal-pradesh/2-seriously-
and exhibit high spatial variability. This study concludes
injured-due-to-landslide-in-itanagar.html
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