Landslide Susceptibility Analysis of Tekirdağ City Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Abstract

In Turkey and across the globe, landslides rank among the most frequent natural disasters. Landslides occurring in densely populated residential areas cause considerable environmental and socio-economic damage, additional to life and property loss. This study identified the hazardous regions in the landslide susceptibility analysis of Tekirdag city. The study is remarkable because it was conducted in an urban area with a dense population, where landslides are a common occurrence. The analysis scheme was based on the use of the AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) method resting on the GIS (Geographic Information System), using a range of materials obtained from various sources. The research findings revealed a high landslide potential for Tekirdag city, with 49.36 % of the urban area at high or very high risk of landslide. In addition, most of the risky areas were found to be situated on slopes. The study confirmed that landslide susceptibility maps for urban areas can be prepared from AHP and GIS. These kinds of maps are suitably scaled for urban site selection or urban growth.