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Landslide Prediction in Mountainous Terrain Using Weighted Overlay Analysis Method: A Case Study of Al Figrah Road, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Western Saudi Arabia

Author

Listed:
  • Talal Alharbi

    (Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Abdelbaset S. El-Sorogy

    (Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Naji Rikan

    (Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

This study applies the Weighted Overlay Analysis (WOA) method integrated with GIS to assess landslide susceptibility along Al Figrah Road in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, western Saudi Arabia. Seven key conditioning factors, elevation, slope, aspect, drainage density, lithology, soil type, and precipitation were integrated using high-resolution remote sensing data and expert-assigned weights. The output susceptibility map categorized the region into three zones: low (93.5 million m 2 ), moderate (271.2 million m 2 ), and high risk (33.1 million m 2 ). Approximately 29% of the road corridor lies within the low-risk zone, 48% in the moderate zone, and 23% in the high-risk zone. Ten critical sites with potential landslide activity were detected along the road, correlating well with the high-risk zones on the map. Structural weaknesses in the area, such as faults, joints, foliation planes, and shear zones in both igneous and metamorphic rock units, were key contributors to slope instability. The findings offer practical guidance for infrastructure planning and geohazard mitigation in arid, mountainous environments and demonstrate the applicability of WOA in data-scarce regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Talal Alharbi & Abdelbaset S. El-Sorogy & Naji Rikan, 2025. "Landslide Prediction in Mountainous Terrain Using Weighted Overlay Analysis Method: A Case Study of Al Figrah Road, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Western Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:15:p:6914-:d:1713177
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Song-Yue Yang & Che-Hao Chang & Chih-Tsung Hsu & Shiang-Jen Wu, 2022. "Variation of uncertainty of drainage density in flood hazard mapping assessment with coupled 1D–2D hydrodynamics model," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 111(3), pages 2297-2315, April.
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    3. Madjid Tavana & Mehdi Soltanifar & Francisco J. Santos-Arteaga, 2023. "Analytical hierarchy process: revolution and evolution," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 326(2), pages 879-907, July.
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