{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,21]],"date-time":"2026-04-21T12:20:50Z","timestamp":1776774050552,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,22]],"date-time":"2020-04-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1587513600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012166","name":"National Key Research and Development Program of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["No.2018YFC1505503"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["No.2018YFC1505503"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012166","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Key Scientific Research project of Higher Education Institutions, Henan Province, China","award":["20A560024"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["20A560024"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJGI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A slope unit is commonly used as calculation unit for regional landslide analysis. However, the capacity of the slope unit to reflect the geomorphological features of actual landslides still needs to be verified. This is because such accurate representation is critical to ensure the physical meaning of results from subsequent landslide stability analysis. This paper presents work conducted on landslides and slope extraction in two areas in China: The Jiangjia Gully area (Yunnan Province) and Fengjie County (Chongqing Municipality). Ground-based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data are combined with field landslide terrace measurements to allow for the comparison of slope unit extraction methods (conventional vs. MIA-HSU) in terms of their ability to reflect the geomorphological features of shallow and deep-seated landslides. The results indicate that slope unit boundaries extracted by the conventional method do not match the geomorphological variations of actual landslides, and the method is therefore deficient in meaningfully extracting slope units for further landslide analysis. By contrast, slope units obtained using the MIA-HSU method accurately reflects the geomorphological features of both shallow and deep-seated landslides, and thus provides clearer geomorphological meaning and more reasonable calculation units for regional landslide assessment and prediction.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijgi9040274","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,23]],"date-time":"2020-04-23T10:46:22Z","timestamp":1587638782000},"page":"274","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["Identification and Extraction of Geomorphological Features of Landslides Using Slope Units for Landslide Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Kai","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi\u2032an 710069, China"},{"name":"Institute of civil engineering, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hui","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shaojie","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fangqiang","family":"Wei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8430-8250","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wanli","family":"Xie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi\u2032an 710069, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Carrara, A. (1988). Drainage and divide networks derived from high-fidelity digital terrain models. Quantitative Analysis of Mineral and Energy Resources, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-009-4029-1_34"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"45","article-title":"Geographical information systems in assessing natural hazards","volume":"4","author":"Carrara","year":"1995","journal-title":"Adv. Nat. Technol. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-555X(97)00064-0","article-title":"An automated approach to the classification of the slope units using digital data","volume":"21","author":"Giles","year":"1998","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Akagunduz, E., Erener, A., Ulusoy, I., and Duzgun, H.S.B. (2008, January 7\u201311). Deliniation of Slope Units based on Scale and Resolution Invariant 3D Curvature Extraction. Proceedings of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2008, IGARSS 2008, IEEE International 2008, Boston, MA, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/IGARSS.2008.4779414"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4139","DOI":"10.1007\/s10064-018-1389-0","article-title":"A new slope unit extraction method for regional landslide analysis based on morphological image analysis","volume":"78","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Alvioli, M., Marchesini, I., Fiorucci, F., Ardizzone, F., Rossi, M., Reichenbach, P., and Guzzetti, F. (May, January 27). Automatic delineation of geomorphological slope units. Proceedings of the EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Vienna, Austria."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3975","DOI":"10.5194\/gmd-9-3975-2016","article-title":"Automatic delineation of geomorphological slope units with r. slopeunits v1. 0 and their optimization for landslide susceptibility modeling","volume":"9","author":"Alvioli","year":"2016","journal-title":"Geosci. Model Dev."},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"1764","article-title":"An Approach to Improving Slope Unit Division Using GIS Technique","volume":"37","author":"Yan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Geogr. Sin."},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"1810","article-title":"Slope unit extraction algorithm based on texture watershed","volume":"6","author":"Cheng","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Comput. Appl."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1007\/s11769-003-0087-3","article-title":"GIS component based 3D landslide hazard assessment system: 3DSlopeGIS","volume":"13","author":"Xie","year":"2003","journal-title":"Chin. Geogr. Sci."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Turel, M., and Frost, J.D. (2011). Delineation of slope profiles from digital elevation models for landslide hazard analysis. Am. Soc. Civil. Eng., 829\u2013836.","DOI":"10.1061\/41183(418)87"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compgeo.2012.04.007","article-title":"Shallow landslide hazard assessment using a three-dimensional deterministic model in a mountainous area","volume":"45","author":"Jia","year":"2012","journal-title":"Comput. Geotech."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"873","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-014-1524-6","article-title":"GIS deterministic model-based 3D large-scale artificial slope stability analysis along a highway using a new slope unit division method","volume":"76","author":"Jia","year":"2015","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7855","DOI":"10.1007\/s12517-015-1835-2","article-title":"Slope unit-based distribution analysis of landslides triggered by the April 20, 2013, Ms 7.0 Lushan earthquake","volume":"8","author":"Zhou","year":"2015","journal-title":"Arab. J. Geosci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1439","DOI":"10.1007\/s12040-016-0741-7","article-title":"Assessment and mapping of slope stability based on slope units: A case study in Yan\u2019an, China","volume":"125","author":"Zhuang","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Earth Syst. Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geomorph.2017.10.018","article-title":"Optimizing landslide susceptibility zonation: Effects of DEM spatial resolution and slope unit delineation on logistic regression models","volume":"301","author":"Marchesini","year":"2018","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1007\/s002540050299","article-title":"The determination of statistical and deterministic hydrological landslide-triggering thresholds","volume":"35","author":"Terlien","year":"1998","journal-title":"Environ. Geol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-555X(99)00042-2","article-title":"A view on some hydrological triggering systems in landslides","volume":"30","author":"Buma","year":"1999","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Delmonaco, G., Margottini, C., Martini, G., Paolini, S., and Spizzichino, D. (2009, January 19-24). Large scale shallow landslides hazard assessment of the Inca Historical Sanctuary area (Peru). Proceedings of the EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Vienna, Austria."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.5194\/nhess-6-357-2006","article-title":"Relationship between rainfall and shallow landslides in the southern Apuan Alps (Italy)","volume":"6","author":"Giannecchini","year":"2006","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geomorph.2006.03.039","article-title":"A comparative analysis of terrain stability models for predicting shallow landslides in colluvial soils","volume":"87","author":"Meisina","year":"2007","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cohen, D., Lehmann, P., and Or, D. (2009). Fiber bundle model for multiscale modeling of hydromechanical triggering of shallow landslides. Water Resour. Res., 45.","DOI":"10.1029\/2009WR007889"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106930","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geomorph.2019.106930","article-title":"A physics-based model to derive rainfall intensity-duration threshold for debris flow","volume":"351","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s11707-018-0683-2","article-title":"Spatial-temporal variations of natural suitability of human settlement environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area\u2014A case study in Fengjie County, China","volume":"13","author":"Luo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front. Earth Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"207","article-title":"Geotechnical mechanical parameters determination of prediction unit based spatial interpolation technique","volume":"28","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Nat. Disasters"},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"1","article-title":"Compound landslides: Nature and hazard potential of secondary landslides within host landslides","volume":"9","author":"Cronin","year":"1992","journal-title":"Geol. Soc. Am. Rev. Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Casadei, M., Dietrich, W.E., and Miller, N.L. (2003, January 10\u201312). Controls on shallow landslide size. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Prediction, and Assessment, Davos, Swizerland."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1007\/s10346-010-0216-x","article-title":"A simple numerical procedure for timely prediction of precipitation-induced landslides in unsaturated pyroclastic soils","volume":"7","author":"Pagano","year":"2010","journal-title":"Landslides"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1325","DOI":"10.1007\/s10346-016-0734-2","article-title":"Numerical modeling of subaerial and submarine landslide-generated tsunami waves\u2014Recent advances and future challenges","volume":"13","year":"2016","journal-title":"Landslides"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-555X(99)00078-1","article-title":"Landslide hazard evaluation: A review of current techniques and their application in a multi-scale study, Central Italy","volume":"31","author":"Guzzetti","year":"1999","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-010-9634-2","article-title":"Use of LIDAR in landslide investigations: A review","volume":"61","author":"Jaboyedoff","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2014.07.004","article-title":"Forested landslide detection using lidar data and the random forest algorithm: A case study of the three gorges, china","volume":"152","author":"Chen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Environ."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fern\u00e1ndez, T., P\u00e9rez, J.L., Colomo, C., Cardenal, J., Delgado, J., Palenzuela, J.A., Irigaray, C., and Chac\u00f3n, J. (2017). Assessment of the evolution of a landslide using digital photogrammetry and LiDAR techniques in the Alpujarras region (Granada, southeastern Spain). Geosciences, 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/geosciences7020032"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"448","DOI":"10.1080\/19475705.2016.1238850","article-title":"Landslides investigations from geoinformatics perspective: Quality, challenges, and recommendations","volume":"8","author":"Pirasteh","year":"2017","journal-title":"Geomat. Nat. Hazards Risk"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhao, C., and Lu, Z. (2018). Remote sensing of landslides\u2014A review. Remote Sens., 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/rs10020279"},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"379","article-title":"Landslide detection and characterization using terrestrial 3d laser scanning (lidar)","volume":"16","author":"Ozdogan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Acta Geodyn. Geomater."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1105","DOI":"10.1007\/s10064-014-0689-2","article-title":"GIS and limit equilibrium in the assessment of regional slope stability and mapping of landslide susceptibility","volume":"74","author":"Gu","year":"2015","journal-title":"Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ."}],"container-title":["ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2220-9964\/9\/4\/274\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,13]],"date-time":"2025-10-13T14:09:13Z","timestamp":1760364553000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2220-9964\/9\/4\/274"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,22]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ijgi9040274"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijgi9040274","relation":{},"ISSN":["2220-9964"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2220-9964","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,22]]}}}