Geomorphological Hazard Assessment Using LiDAR Data in a GIS Environment

Geomorphological hazards such as landslides, river bank erosion, debris flows, and surface deformation are major threats to infrastructure and the community, especially in complex terrains. These geomorphological hazards are controlled by topography, geology, hydrology, and climate, and the subtle features of the terrain are not well represented in elevation models. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is an active remote sensing technology that has the ability to collect accurate information on the three-dimensional features of the terrain surface and the quantification of the characteristics of the terrain surface such as slope, curvature, and roughness, which are vital in the assessment of geomorphological instability. This study presents a methodology in the Geographic Information System (GIS) environment to assess geomorphological hazards and processes using the derivatives of the LiDAR elevation model and elevation change detection results. This study presents the application of the LiDAR and GIS integration in hazard assessment and geomorphological processes, which is crucial in hazard zoning and land use planning.