Geo-Portal Development of Landslides and Susceptibility Mapping Along Karakoram Highway Using Multi Criteria Geospatial Analysis

Abstract

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is important development in Pakistan and is starting from Khunjrab pass to Gawadar, Pakistan. The KKH is one of the most important part of CPEC and at the same time is very active interms of geohazards. Several geomechanichal challlanges are present along KKH which has to be take care of for success of CPEC as the KKH is known as the geological disaster museum owing to frequent natural disasters. With this in mind this project was conceptulaized with the objectives to (i) design and development of GIS based AHP model for landslide susceptibility mapping of KKH using geomorphological datasets; (ii) development of detailed field based landslide inventory database of past events occurred along KKH (from 2014 till 2018); and to design and development of comprehensive webGIS based landslide geoportal for mapping and visualization of potential risks and past landslide events along KKH. All the datasets including geology, seismic-tectonic, rainfall, elevation of the area were georeferenced and digitized with attribute information. A detailed field visit was conducted on KKH from Haripur to Sust (Khunjrab Pass) to map landslide events and collection of other datasets. Using advanced GIS and Remote sensing techniques spatial relationship between twelve causative factors (Elevation, slope, aspect, plane curvature, distance from drainage, rainfall, Stream Power Index SPI, topographical wetness index TWI, Strahler order network, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index NDVI, lithology, distance from faults) and past occurred landslides was developed. The results showed that about 16% of the study area fall in very high susceptible zone while 36% in high susceptible zone. Whereas 28% and 18% of the area along fall into moderate and low susceptible areas respectively. Analytical Hierarchy Process Model was proved to be very useful and its performance was evaluated using the relative operating curves (ROC) with 84% area under the curve with p ≤ 0.05. Landslides inventory was prepared based on temporal, seasonal, volumetric and type of events. A comprehensive landslide geoportal was developed which along with other findings of the study will provide the identification of potential risks of landslides in the region and severs as the basis for engineers and decision makers for the safe future planning and sustainable development of the KKH.