Earthquake-induced landslides pose a great threat to both human life and property. Earthquakes as small as magnitude 4.0 may trigger landslides in susceptible slopes and larger earthquakes can generate tens of thousands of landslides. A great need exisits to quantitatively assess the hazard potential caused by earthquake-induced landslides.

Using state-of-the-art Earthquake Engineering models and algorithms, SIG leverages the data manipulation and analysis capabilities of a GIS to compute slope deformation in a 3-component seismic slope stability analysis.

Our product allows the user to modify and update input parameters to obtain an assessment of slope deformation based on subjective input as appropriate.

The user specifies the extent of the site for which earthquake-induced landslide maps are to be generated. The user will then have to select the fault segment to rupture and specify an earthquake magnitude to generate deterministic scenarios of slope deformation. A probabilistic scenario map expressed in terms of the probability of exceedance of certain values of displacement can also be produced.

Our product is tested and based on default data for the San Francsico Bay Area. SIG can implement this model for other areas after compiling the necessary data and configuring the model with the slope stability and ground motion analysis methods specific to that region. Calibration against known earthquake-triggered landslides such as those in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the 1999 Taiwan earthquake are being carried out to test the model sensitiviy and improve the model's predictability.

Contact SIG consultants if you are interested in modeling hazards associated with earthquakes. Our automated product can be fully customized to the specific needs of our clients.

This process is based on research for PG&E and PEER (Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center), conducted by principals of SIG while PhD students at UC Berkeley.