Mapping a nation’s landslides: a novel multi-stage methodology

Through combining new technologies and traditional mapping techniques, the British Geological Survey (BGS) has developed a novel, multi-stage methodology for landslide mapping. 3-D aerial photograph interpretation, variable-perspective 3-D topographic visualisation and field mapping with digital data capture are being used to map the UK’s landslides. The resulting ESRI ArcGIS polygons are published on BGS 1:50,000 geological maps and as digital data products. Data collected during mapping are also uploaded directly into the National Landslides Database maintaining a systematic, nationally-uniform landslide inventory. Repeat monitoring of selected landslides using terrestrial LIDAR and dGPS allows the database to be frequently updated and the proactive Landslide Response Team means that new landslide events can be mapped within days, if not hours, of their occurrence. The long-term aim is to apply this methodology throughout the UK, providing a wealth of data for scientific research and hazard assessment. This methodology is also suitable for application in an international context

The 2010 Hans Cloos lecture : the contribution of urban geology to the development, regeneration and conservation of cities

Urban geology began to develop in the 1950s, particularly in California in relation to land-use planning, and led to Robert Legget publishing his seminal book “Cities and geology” in 1973. Urban geology has now become an important part of engineering geology. Research and practice has seen the evolution from single theme spatial datasets to multi-theme and multi-dimensional outputs for a wide range of users. In parallel to the development of these new outputs to aid urban development, regeneration and conservation, has been the growing recognition that city authorities need access to extensive databases of geo-information that are maintained in the long-term and renewed regularly. A further key advance has been the recognition that, in the urban environment, knowledge and understanding of the geology need to be integrated with those of other environmental topics (for example, biodiversity) and, increasingly, with the research of social scientists, economists and others. Despite these advances, it is suggested that the value of urban geology is not fully recognised by those charged with the management and improvement of the world’s cities. This may be because engineering geologists have failed to adequately demonstrate the benefits of urban geological applications in terms of cost and environmental improvement, have not communicated these benefits well enough and have not clearly shown the long-term contribution of geo-information to urban sustainability. Within this context future actions to improve the situation are proposed