Risk and vulnerability analysis of road network in landslide prone areas in Munnar region, India

Abstract

Catastrophes like landslides have the potential to impair critical transportation infrastructure, particularly road networks. The hilly regions in the state of Kerala in India are particularly prone to hazards and changing climate conditions. During the monsoon season, landslides are common in the Western Ghats, and the intensity of adverse impacts is more severe due to its densely populated regions. The study area of this research is in Idukki district of Kerala, where over 60 % of the land is prone to landslides. The monsoon rains bring with them a slew of disastrous landslides in the region. Most of the roadways in the study area are often disrupted due to landslides. Landslide risk assessment (LRA) is a crucial component of research on adverse impacts of landslide. The use of Geographical information System (GIS) and Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) for susceptibility mapping and hazard risk assessment assists in the identification of disaster-prone areas. The data collected by field surveys were used to confirm the study results and the high-risk zones of the region were identified and the risk maps are prepared for the region as well as for the road network in the region. The risk of landslides may be described as the possibility of negative repercussions on road network thereby adversely impacting the inhabitants of the region. The landslide risk assessment of the road network in a hilly region is carried out which gives important insights for risk management and for future planning of resilient development in the region. This study enhances the knowledge for management of road network risk and vulnerabilities in intricate hilly region settings by developing a thorough vulnerability analysis framework. The research advances by giving transportation engineers a useful quantitative tool for identifying the risk and vulnerabilities of road network and directing design strategies and mitigation measures to lessen the possible negative effects of disruptive events like landslides on road infrastructure. The research findings could be an input for policy makers to plan for alternative resilient strategies for landslide risk management in road networks. The rational methodology adopted here could be replicated for carrying out risk and vulnerability assessment in other landslide prone areas.