Satellite-based analysis of landfill landslide: the case of the 2015 Shenzhen landslide

Abstract

With rapid urbanisation, the amount of construction solid waste is increasing, especially in developing countries, where landfill still dominates waste treatment. Lack of proper management and monitor, many landfills experience high landslide risk, and a typical case is the Guangming landfill landslide in Shenzhen, China on 20 December 2015. The main problem is that detailed field investigation for each landfill requires too much time and effort. Consequently, a satellite-based analysis method is identified and used to efficiently assess landslide susceptibility of landfill. The core steps include investigation of the topography and climate of the landfill site and dynamic evaluation based on satellite data. Taking the Guangming landfill as an example, rapid filling and water catchment are taken into account with GIS, which generate high excess pore pressures and eventually trigger the gentle landfill slope to failure. The results show that the satellite-based analysis method can obtain the key factors of the landfill landslide.