Mudslide susceptibility assessment based on a two-channel residual network

Abstract

In response to the challenges posed by rugged terrain in Yunnan, hindering large-scale mudslide screening efforts, this article introduces a dual-channel Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) constructed using elevation data from historical mudslide-prone valleys (Digital Elevation Model, DEM) and remote sensing imagery. The network is designed to facilitate the comprehensive assessment of potential mudslide hazards in gullies, serving as a crucial tool for early mudslide disaster warning. The model initially employs an enhanced residual structure to extract fundamental features from both types of data. Subsequently, it leverages the SE module and deep separable structure to emphasize the importance of relevant features and expedite model convergence. Finally, the model classifies the gullies under evaluation based on their similarity to gullies where mudslides have previously occurred. Experimental results demonstrate the model’s robust performance in assessing mudflow-prone gullies, achieving an impressive precision rate of up to 81.10% and a recall rate of 82.76%. When applied to evaluate the potential hazard of mudslide gullies across the entirety of Nujiang Prefecture, the model predicts that 87.80% of the mudslide locations are at an extremely high risk. These findings underscore the viability of utilizing image-based gully feature analysis for assessing the hazard levels of mudslide-prone gullies.