WEB BASED GIS SUPPORTING THE ASSESSMENT OF EARTHQUAKE-TRIGGERED LANDSLIDES PROJECTS

R. Perez

Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Spain

rufino@topografia.upm.es

The ANDROS Project is an interdisciplinary approach with Civil Engineers, Geologists, and experts in Seismology and GIS in order to develop a methodology to evaluate the hazard assessment of earthquake-triggered catastrophic landslides. The method is validated using available data from the El Salvador earthquakes of January and February of 2001. The database includes field observations of more than 600 landslides together with digital cartography, geological maps, and strong motion records from both earthquakes. The predicted hazard model is compared to real observations. The parameters are subsequently recalibrated in order to obtain a new model which fits better the observations.

Internet, because its accessibility and actuality, has become a very efficient way to disseminate geospatial data. On the other hand, the last generations of GIS programs provide some enhance features such as interoperability, increased viewing flexibility, more powerful analytical tools and scalability. Finally, the development of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) based in the Open GeoSpatial Consortium (OGC) specifications have opened promising opportunities for cartographers and GIS experts.

The main purpose of this paper is to briefly describe how the GIS, Digital Mapping, Internet and SDIs concepts and tools can effectively contribute in the modeling, analysis and visualization phases within an engineering or research project. In this particular case, to the assessment of earthquake-triggered landslides projects. Besides enabling real-time GIS analysis – anytime, anywhere, the distribution of the GIS information to a wider audience on the Web increase its overall value to the research group. It may also mention how GIS professionals are able to share complex, georegistered, geospatial data, extracted from GIS project databases, as GeoPDF files with non-technical professionals in a variety of ways. It can be used in education, research o simply in the dissemination of map information to the targeted clients or the general public.