GETSI Teaching Materials >Planning for Failure: Landslide Analysis for a Safer Society
GETSI's Earth-focused Modules for Undergraduate Classroom and Field Courses
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This module is part of a growing collection of classroom-tested materials developed by GETSI. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Planning for Failure: Landslide Analysis for a Safer Society

Initial Publication Date: December 5, 2019

Summary

In this module, students learn empirical methods of mass movement (landslide) hazard mapping and how to tie that to making smarter societal choices. Students explore landslide detection from digital topographic data, the distributive pattern of landslides in a region, and how predictive models (susceptibility maps) are developed and analyzed. This culminates in generating of a risk analysis report and management plan. Materials for student reading and preparation exercises, in-class discussions, lab exercises, group activities, and jigsaw experience are all provided, including teaching tips and suggestions for modifications for a variety of classes.

Webinar about teaching this module: Teaching Landslide Analysis to Undergraduates: Planning for Failure and a Safer Society

For an introductory-level module on landslide hazards, please see Surface Process Hazards: Living with Landslides

Strengths of the Module

  • Students come away from the module with a robust understanding of landslide susceptibility analysis, as well as more concrete understanding of the societal impact of mass movements and steps that can be taken to improve resilience.
  • The module includes use of both CloudCompare and ArcGIS Desktop. Although the technology ramp-up challenges some of the students, it also helps them develop transferable skills in trouble-shooting and using Help tools to figure things out. Some students have even gone on to use the methods behind the landslide susceptibility index (LSI) for other applications in other courses.

Great fit for 300- and 400-level classes in

  • Geomorphology
  • Geological hazards (Geohazards)
  • GIS
  • Remote Sensing
  • Geostatistics
  • Environmental Data Analysis
  • Geotechnical Engineering

Instructor Stories: How This Module Was Adapted
for Use at Two Different Institutions »





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This module is part of a growing collection of classroom-tested materials developed by GETSI. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »