Landslide susceptibility zoning through physically-based limit equilibrium method modelling

Landslide susceptibility is the likelihood of a landslide occurring in a given area based on local terrain conditions. Effective modelling of landslide susceptibility is crucial for generating zoning maps that inform land-use planning and management. This study promotes a novel physically-based methodology to assess landslide susceptibility on a large scale by integrating limit equilibrium methods, spatialisation criteria and statistical classification approaches. The procedure has been applied to a study area in Southern Italy, resulting in maps of the safety factor, failure surface depth, and zoning of landslide susceptibility. Scenario analyses were conducted to address uncertainties related to geomechanical and hydraulic settings. Model evaluation revealed scenarios with optimal discrimination capability, providing valuable insights into susceptibility patterns and zoning. This preliminary yet reproducible methodology provides a foundational tool for advancing physically-based landslide susceptibility zoning in both future research and practical applications. • A geospatial physically-based tool developed to assess landslide susceptibility. • Spatialisation of resulting local safety factor values. • A classification algorithm translates safety factor into landslide susceptibility. • Scenario analyses addressing geomechanical and hydraulic uncertainties. • Comparison with statistically-based susceptibility zoning.