Susceptibility assessment of Geohazards in the Kunlun Mountain region of Xinjiang, China, based on the analytic hierarchy process and information quantity model

Abstract

The Kunlun Mountain region in Xinjiang is one of the areas most severely affected by geohazards in China. Significant differences exist in the development characteristics of geohazard between its eastern and western sections, due to variations in geological conditions conducive to disaster formation and natural geographical differences, and the existing susceptibility assessment results for the region are insufficient to meet practical needs. This study divides the Kunlun Mountain region in Xinjiang into two assessment zones, east and west, and based on 3,234 geohazard sites in the region, 12 and 8 indicators are selected respectively to establish an evaluation system for collapse/landslide and debris flow hazards. The indicators are then combined using the principle of higher value to conduct a comprehensive assessment of geohazard susceptibility. The Analytic Hierarchy Process-Information Quantity (AHP-INF) coupling model is applied to geohazard susceptibility assessment and classifies the Xinjiang Kunlun Mountain region into four levels: high, medium, low and non. The results indicate that dividing the Xinjiang Kunlun Mountain region into two zones for evaluation significantly improves the accuracy of the assessment, achieving an overall accuracy of 99.51%. The proposed zonal assessment method and AHP-INF coupling model can effectively reflect the assessed susceptibility of geohazards in the Kunlun Mountain region, providing scientific support for risk management, land spatial planning and land use regulation in the study area.