Landslide Activity Research Articles

Activity of flow-like landslides on the escarpment cuesta (tree-ring–based study on the eastern margin of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin)

Activity of flow-like landslides on the escarpment cuesta (tree-ring–based study on the eastern margin of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin)

Multi-isotopic constraints on the impacts of landslide on weathering and erosion in an active mountain range

In active mountains, landslides are the primary agent of erosion that readily generates materials with high weatherability. Understanding the linkage between landslide activity, erosion, and chemical weathering is critical for assessing how tectonic uplift affects the carbon cycle and Earth's climate. However, quantifying the contribution to chemical weathering and erosion fluxes from landslides remains challenging because of the lack of effective tracers related to landslide activities. Recent studies suggest that a suite of isotopic tracers, including the U, Sr and Be isotopes, have the potential to trace solutes and materials associated with landslide activities. Here we use three isotope ratios (234U/238U, 10Be/9Be, 87Sr/86Sr) to quantify the contribution to solid and solute fluxes from landslides in the tectonic-active eastern Tibetan mountains. We focus on 22 small catchments (drainage area < 50 km2) draining the epicentral region of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake using samples collected in 2018 and 2019. Landslide seepage water and landslide sediment samples are used to constrain the landslide-weathering end-member. Tree branch and regolith topsoil samples are used to characterize the weathering end-member of regolith. We show that the U-Be-Sr isotopes can trace the solutes and solids sourced from landslide debris and quantify that landslides contribute 33.1 ± 16.2% (1SE) to the riverine solutes and 43.4 ± 20.8% (1SE) to the riverbed silt-sized sediment. These proportions are lower than the landslide-derived proportions in high-order catchments immediately (1 to 4 years) after the Wenchuan earthquake, which may relate to changes in landslide-material inputs across drainage networks and/or weathering processes over time. We also find that across 87 catchments with variable basin areas (from <1 km2 to ∼20,000 km2) draining the broad eastern Tibetan mountains, the 234U/238U activity ratio of river water and silt-sized riverbed sediment shows distinct characteristics for the catchments grouped by mean slope angles (mean slope angles shallower versus steeper than a common threshold angle of 32°). These findings suggest that U isotopes are a promising tracer of landslide-sourced solutes and materials. Overall, our work provides a case study showing that a multi-isotope approach can be used to quantify the impacts of landslides on erosion and weathering, providing new insights into how tectonic activities could affect the carbon cycle.

Landslide Occurrences under Diverse Landuse/cover in Lower Kosi Watershed, Central Himalaya

Abstract Present study was related to land degradation after landslide and risk analysis of Lower Kosi watershed in Central Himalaya using RS and GIS. The study was aimed to identifying the relation of land use with landslide activity in Himalayan terrain and landslide management. The landslide inventory map was prepared for the detailed study with the help of Google Earth Image and field verifications. Landslide had been sub-categorized into two categories; natural and road induced. The land use map was prepared from Google Earth image followed by toposheets. Statistical analysis of landslide frequency and density as well as frequency and density ratios were applied. The collected data was evaluated in combination with GIS. The relationship between land use categories and landslide occurrences was determined. The landslide frequency ratio (FR) and density ratio (DR) were analyzed. The FR and DR value of 1 is an average value. Hence, the value of ratio more than 1 signifies a strong relationship between landslides and the given factor while ratio values less than 1 registers a poor relationship. The FR and DR values were &amp;gt;1.0 in the areas of fallow land, barren/rocky land, agricultural land and open forest revealing a strong relation to landslide processes while the lesser values of FR and DR in ‘dense forest’ area determines the impact of sufficient vegetation cover on the least occurrence of landslides. This study may be applicable for new and existing land use planning projects as the adopted methodology provides rapid estimation of landslide vulnerability of the area.

Assessment of landslide hazard risks on the example of the land cadastre of Kosiv district

The purpose of the research presented in this article is to analyse landslide hazards by assessing the impact of the natural component of factors on land use within the Kosiv district of the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The increasing number of negative consequences of landslide processes in the study area, and especially in the Carpathian region of Ukraine, requires the creation of new approaches to land resource assessment and civil engineering to reduce the negative impact of landslides on the environment and human activities. Methods. Landslide processes were studied using geophysical methods, GPS and geostatistical methods of data analysis. Based on the created mapping layer of the land cadastre and the landslide hazard map for Kosiv district, a vector analysis was performed to assess the risk in each area according to its cadastral number. Results. The environmental and geological risk of the natural component of landslide hazard factors was calculated using geoinformatics and geostatistical analysis tools with the use of QGIS. An important result of the research is the creation of landslide risk maps of land plots based on data from the State Land Cadastre using the Kadastr.Live Toolbar plugin. Scientific novelty. For the first time an analysis of the natural component of landslide hazard risks for the territory of Kosiv district was carried out as a basis for the assessment of such risks for individual cadastral zones. The regulatory and monetary assessments were clarified based on individual territories, for conducting economic activities that require hydrogeological research or changing the intended use of land.. Practical significance. By applying the methodology of dividing landslide risk assessment factors into natural and anthropogenic components, it becomes possible to identify areas within the study area with the highest probability of landslide development and activation. This method helps to study the characteristics of natural factors and is useful in assessing the risk of landslides..

Spatial distribution patterns of dated landslide events in the Northern Apennines in response to Holocene regional climatic changes

In this work we examine the spatial and temporal distribution of radiocarbon dates from landslides on the NE-facing side of the Northern Apennines during the Holocene, focusing on the region’s associated vegetation and climatic changes. We also propose a method for identifying areas and landslides that may contain very old organic materials for future research in the region. This analysis was based on a principal component analysis (PCA) on 5255 grid cells measuring 1 km2 each, overlaid on the study area. These grid cells incorporated variables derived from the terrain characteristics, including underlying lithologies and topographic features.Our findings reveal that, during the upper Holocene, the last dated events of recurrent and single-event landslides occurred first closer to the coldest and wettest territories once occupied by the glacier termina during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGMgt). Subsequently the last dated events occurred at distances greater than 30 km from the LGMgt, towards the mountain chain’s margin. Conversely, at the beginning of the Holocene, an opposite pattern emerged, with landslide events occurring towards the chain interior. These spatial patterns were consistently observed when considering also the entire dataset of 87 dates for landslide events. During the middle Holocene, we observed that the recurrent landslides were primarily concentrated within a narrow belt 8.5 km from the LGMgt. Furthermore, higher rates of landslide activity were associated with the 4.2 ka BP event and persisted until approximately 2.0 ka BP, indicating a correlation with wet and cool periods. In conclusion, these spatial patterns in landslide events can be linked to changes in precipitation patterns and dominant atmospheric circulation in the mountain belt occurred since the beginning of the Holocene.

Landslide ground model development through integrated geoelectrical and seismic imaging in Thungsong district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

A ground model of a shallow landslide in rainfall-induced slope failure of Thungsong, Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand is developed through an integrated geophysical approach, utilising electrical resistivity tomography and P-wave seismic refraction tomography (SRT) methods. Those two methods were applied to assess landslide structure and study deformation mechanisms along four profiles. Beside the four profiles there is another profile, which was acquired near an borehole and used for the calibration with geological data. Our results show subsurface structures in terms of the ground model used to determine stratigraphic layers, zones of saturation or groundwater table, and significant differences between the landslide slip material and the underlying bedrock. The clay-rich zones (resistivity less than 500 Ωm) in the colluvium on the relatively steep slope, show enhanced potential for landslides. This silty clay plays an important role for landslide activation in this site. Moreover, a combination of steep slopes, shallow basement rocks overlain by clay-rich colluvium, and seasonally high rain fall leads to landslides in the region. The ground model produced by geophysical imaging for this region achieves a comprehensive understanding of the structure and lithology of a complex landslide system and overcomes the limitations of remote-sensing data or isolated intrusive sampling techniques alone.

Influence of precipitation on landslide activity in Southwestern Bulgaria in the context of climate change

The article analyzes the annual precipitation in the region of Southwest Bulgaria for the period 1991-2021 and the relationship between precipitation and the activation of landslides in the region. For this purpose, publicly available materials from the website of Geozashtita EOOD – Pernik (http://gz-pernik.mrrb.government.bg/landslide/) and from the website https://www.stringmeteo.com/ were used. The increased intensity of rainfall in some months is also the reason for the increase in the number of new landslides, which often creates significant problems for the operation and maintenance of the Bulgarian transport infrastructure. The main results of the study show that during the analyzed period there was an increase in months with extreme precipitation, and this is largely related to the global changes in the Earth's climate. The presented results provide an opportunity for conducting further studies linking climate change with the development of hazardous geological processes, and the negative impact of these phenomena on the road infrastructure emphasizes the need to develop dynamic models for obtaining information in real time.

Landslide susceptibility mapping for the Red Sea Mountains: A multi-criteria decision analysis approach

The Earth's climate system is clearly warming. Unquestionably, climate change has an impact on landslides by affecting the stability of both naturally occurring and artificially constructed slopes. Less certain are the type, extent, degree, and direction of the changes in stability conditions as well as the location, abundance, activity, and frequency of landslides in response to the expected climate changes. Climate change threatens global ecosystems, causing severe human and economic losses through sea level rise, hurricanes, flooding, landslides, and heat waves. Landslides in high mountains could become more common as a result of these changes. The high-speed electric train project in Egypt seeks to provide sustainable transportation, lessen climate change, and enhance public health. The study area was conducted along a 70-km track in the Eastern Desert, Egypt, across steep and rugged basement rocks of the Red Sea mountain chain (RSM). The geographic pinpointing of landslide susceptibility zones plays a significant role in promoting hazards mitigation in mountainous areas, such as RSM. The aim of this research project is to create a landslide susceptibility map (LSM) utilizing multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) in the region using information value (IV) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approaches that encompass the third proposed track of the high-speed electric railroad Qena-Hurghada between the RSM. The landslide inventory map, which has a total of 12 single landslide locations, was created based on fieldwork using hand-held GPS and Landsat 8 images. The two decision-making techniques were used to contrast the LSM factors based on the knowledge of experts using the qualitative method of AHP with the statistical approach that depends on the field data IV. Ten landslide-influencing parameters taken into consideration are slope, lithology, rainfall distribution, distance to fault, distance to track, seismicity of area, distance to epicenter, land cover, distance to stream, and aspect. The parameters were obtained using LANDSAT8 and SRTM DEM of a 30 m resolution, vectorized lithological structure units from a 1:2000, 000 map, and data between (1913–2000) for yearly precipitation and (1997–2018) for seismic activity of the research area. A GIS-based method produces a themed layer map for each geoenvironmental element, weighing each parameter after examination. A LSM was produced using a combination of thematic layers that were then separated into four grades: low, moderate, high, and very high, based on the intensity of the landslide vulnerability. According to AUC data, the IV model has a better success rate 0.85 than the AHP model 0.82. The study's models, especially when applied to the IV method, showed good accuracy in forecasting landslide vulnerability. The method shows rising landslide percentages with susceptibility and delivers accurate results that are compatible with the landslide inventory map. Environmental decisions often lead to unintended consequences due to lost information, incorrect factor selection, limited expert expertise, and ignoring uncertainty. This investigation emphasizes the importance of LSM as a tool for decision-makers to minimize landslide losses and damage.

SHIFTING PROCESSES IN THE CITY OF DNIPRO AND DNIPROPETROVSK REGION

The analysis of landslide processes in the city of Dnipro and the Dnipropetrovsk region was carried out. It was found that landslides occupy a dominant position among exogenous geological processes due to their significant distribution, especially in the territories of intensive economic use. Their activation has significant negative consequences due to the speed of development and significant deformation and destruction of buildings and structures. The development of landslide processes on the territory of the city of Dnipro and the Dnipropetrovsk region is determined by the peculiarities of the geological and hydrogeological conditions of certain areas. The modern activation of landslides is associated with the manifestation of accompanying processes - erosion and abrasion. Also, the intensification of landslides is influenced by human economic activity, which is caused by additional loads, trimming of slopes during construction works, creation of dynamic loads, etc. The process of landslide formation on the right bank of the Dnieper and its right tributaries became particularly active. The total number of landslides and landslide areas is 382 units, of which 133 landslides are in the city of Dnipro. The largest number of landslides is observed in the cities of Dnipro and Kamianske. In the city of Dnipro, landslide-hazardous zones are located near ravines. Landslides occur in Aptekarska Balka due to the following reasons: increase in the steepness of the slope; washing slopes with water; weakening of rock strength due to waterlogging by atmospheric precipitation and underground water; construction and economic activity. One of the environmental problems of Aptekarska balka is the dumping of garbage into the beam. Along Aptekarska balka are the residential streets of Bohdanova and Tokarna, the buildings of which suffer the most from landslides. As a design proposal, it is proposed to strengthen the sliding slopes in Aptekarska Balka, Dnipro, by means of a retaining wall made of gabions.

The Detection and Control Factor Analysis of Active Landslides in Guizhou Province, China, Using Sentinel-1 SAR Imagery

Catastrophic landslides occur frequently in Guizhou Province, China, and the landslides in this area have special geomorphological, geological, and anthropogenic features. In order to detect and explore the distribution pattern and control factors of active landslides in Guizhou, firstly, a total of 693 active landslides throughout Guizhou Province were mapped based on the deformation rate, which was obtained by spatiotemporal filtering and Intermittent Small Baseline Subset (ISBAS) Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques. Then, the relationships between the detected landslides and elevation, aspect, slope gradient, and stratigraphic lithology were analysed. Moreover, it was found that the landslides were mainly concentrated in three stratigraphic combinations, that is T1f~P2l−d, T1f~T1yn, and T2g~T1yn. Thereafter, the correlation coefficients between the landslide density and elevation and distance to the stratigraphic boundary were 0.54 and −0.19, indicating that the distribution of landslides was significantly controlled by the elevation and the boundary of specific stratigraphic combinations. Finally, we chose a typical landslide to explore how landslide development was controlled by the combined effects of elevation and stratigraphy by using ascending and descending InSAR results. We revealed that landslides occurred primarily in areas with a steep slope and a stratigraphy characterized by mudstone and sandstone.

Study on InSAR image fusion for improved visualization of active landslides in alpine valley areas: A case in the Batang Region, China

InSAR observation with a wide range and high sensitivity is one of the main techniques for active landslide identification, but due to the influence of the SAR satellite side-view imaging method and observation angle, single-track images in alpine valley areas facing geometric distortion, such as shadowing, layover, and foreshortening, which leads to ineffective observation in some areas. Combining the ascending and descending observation results is expected to compensate for this deficiency to a large extent. This work constructs a pixel-level image fusion method to achieve the fusion of InSAR ascending and descending orbit deformation results, consisting of three algorithms: the DMPI (decision matrix-guided pixel-level InSAR image fusion algorithm), the DMFS (deformable median filter based on decision feedback), and the QSDS (superpixel-based dual-space InSAR image fusion quality evaluation algorithm). To verify the effect, the Batang section of the Jinsha River with high mountain canyon terrain and frequent active landslides is selected. The results show that using the DMPI fused InSAR ascending and descending orbit images can improve spatial perception by enhancing the texture gradient value of remote sensing images by a maximum of two orders of magnitude, compared with the single-track InSAR observation images. Meanwhile, the number of landslides identified increased by 31.5%, and the total area increased by 50.9% on average, improving the accuracy of target detection and identification. In noise reduction, DMFS improves fusion image readability and feature detail by removing SPN (salt and pepper noise) while preserving target edge detail. Furthermore, the QSDS which can evaluate the quality of InSAR fusion images from the perspective of human eye vision, provides an adequate basis for determining the interpretability of InSAR images. This fusion method can partially improve the question of incomplete ground observation due to radar line of sight occlusion in the high mountain canyon area, thus better presenting the InSAR observation results and helping to comprehensively and conveniently interpret the InSAR deformers.

Geomorphology of the upper sector of the Roncovetro active landslide (Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy)

ABSTRACT We present the geomorphological map of the upper sector of the Roncovetro active landslide (Enza Valley, Emilia-Romagna, Italy). The 1:1500 scale map provides an accurate picture of the landslide in October 2014. The map is mainly based on the data collected during an airborne LiDAR survey. The capability of LiDAR to ‘penetrate’ the vegetation cover makes these data the most complete and accurate topographic dataset of this landslide. The map shows that the upper sector of the Roncovetro landslide consists of gravity- and water runoff-related forms. Gravitational features are linked to sliding and flowing movements that characterize the short- and long-term behaviour of the landslide. By comparing the 2014 LiDAR-Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with the 1973 DEM provided by the Emilia-Romagna Region, we calculated that 6.2 ± 0.8 × 105 m3 of material has moved from the top of the Roncovetro landslide in about 40 years.

Research on GIS-based information value model for landslide geological hazards prediction in soil-rock contact zone in southern Shaanxi

Landslide geological hazards occur frequently and are widely distributed in the soil-rock contact zone in southern Shaanxi Province, which has a great impact on people's lives. To realize the hierarchical management of geological environmental data, the powerful spatial graphic and attribute data management function of GIS is fully utilized. On this basis, the GIS-based landslide geological hazard prediction method for the soil-rock contact zone in southern Shaanxi was developed using the information value model. By dividing the prediction units in the study area, basic components such as the slope distribution map of the soil-rock contact zone, rock group type, and fault distribution map are generated. Then, the prediction model of landslide geological hazard information value is established, combining the information quantity model and GIS technology, and grading the predicted landslide geological hazard information quantity, thus obtaining the prediction results, and completing the prediction of landslide geological hazard in the soil-rock contact zone in southern Shaanxi. The results show that when the slope of the study area is between 6° and 25°, the proportion of landslide disaster prediction is higher, Rainfall occurring on the 4th day in the first 10 days of the landslide disaster has the greatest impact on the landslide disaster. According to the actual landslide disaster prediction results, it is known that the method can accurately predict the type and severity of landslide occurrence each month, and the accuracy of the prediction results is high, making it a high-quality landslide hazard prediction method.

Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography Method to Determine the Inner 3D Geometry and the Main Runoff Directions of the Large Active Landslide of Pie de Cuesta in the Vítor Valley (Peru)

Pie de Cuesta is a large landslide with a planar area of 1 km2 located in the Vítor district, in the Arequipa department (Peru), and constitutes an active phenomenon. It belongs to the rotational/translational type, which concerns cases that are very susceptible to reactivation because any change in the water content or removal of the lower part can lead to a new instability. In this context, a previous geological study has been decisive in recognizing the lithologies present and understanding their behavior when they are saturated. But it is also necessary to know the inner “landslide geometry” in order to gusset a geotechnical diagnosis. The present study shows how the deep electrical profiles (ERT, electrical resistivity tomography method), supported by two Vp seismic refraction tomography lines (SVP), have been used to create a 3D cognitive model that would allow the identification of the inner landslide structure: the 3D rupture surface, the volume of the sliding mass infiltration sectors or fractures, and the preferred runoff directions. Moreover, on large landsides, placing the geophysical profiles is a crucial aspect because it greatly depends on the accessibility of the area and the availability of the physical space required. In our case, we need to extend profiles up to 1100 m long in order to obtain data at greater depths since this landslide is approximately 200 m tall. Based on the geophysical results and geologic information, the 3D final model of the inner structure of this landslide is presented. Additionally, the main runoff water directions and the volume of 90.5 Hm3 of the sliding mass are also estimated.

Deciphering Complex Morphology and Structural Connectivity of High-Magnitude Deep-Seated Landslides via Airborne Laser Scanning: A Case Study in the Vrancea Seismic Region, Romanian Carpathians

In the Vrancea seismic region (Romanian Carpathians; the most important intermediate-depth seismic source of Europe), the morphology of the slopes is often marked by the existence of numerous high-magnitude, deep-seated active, dormant or relict landslides, which are the subjects of many cases of functional and structural connectivity. Due to the compact and extensive (coniferous and broad leaved) forest coverage and because of the lack of publicly available regional high-resolution DEMs, it is usually difficult to fully understand the morphogenetic framework of such large, deep-seated landslides in order to assess their frequency–magnitude relationship, a key issue in hazard quantification. However, the high impact of such landslides on river networks requires an in-depth understanding of the multi-hazard framework, as cascading effects are likely to affect the presently growing human activities developing along the valleys. Within a case study represented by a 2.5 km long deep-seated landslide, that caused a 500 m lateral occlusion of Buzău River, we used integrated remote sensing technologies (UAV laser scanning) and in situ (geomorphic mapping and ERT investigations) techniques, which allowed us to better understand the structural connectivity which conditions the landslide hazard in such complex morphogenetic conditions, outlining the present potential of the regional seismo-climatic context to trigger potential high-magnitude chain effects.

Comparative Evaluation of State-of-the-Art Semantic Segmentation Networks for Long-Term Landslide Map Production.

The production of long-term landslide maps (LAM) holds crucial importance in estimating landslide activity, vegetation disturbance, and regional stability. However, the availability of LAMs remains limited in many regions, despite the application of various machine-learning methods, deep-learning (DL) models, and ensemble strategies in landslide detection. While transfer learning is considered an effective approach to tackle this challenge, there has been limited exploration and comparison of the temporal transferability of state-of-the-art deep-learning models in the context of LAM production, leaving a significant gap in the research. In this study, an extensive series of tests was conducted to evaluate the temporal transferability of typical semantic segmentation models, specifically U-Net, U-Net 3+, and TransU-Net, using a 10-year landslide-inventory dataset located near the epicenter of the Wenchuan earthquake. The experiment results disclose the feasibility and limitations of implementing transfer-learning methods for LAM production, particularly when leveraging the power of U-Net 3+. Furthermore, following an assessment of the effects of varying data volumes, patch sizes, and time intervals, this study recommends appropriate settings for LAM production, emphasizing the balance between efficiency and production performance. The findings from this study can serve as a valuable reference for devising an efficient and reliable strategy for large-scale LAM production in landslide-prone regions.

Automatic Identification for the Boundaries of InSAR Anomalous Deformation Areas Based on Semantic Segmentation Model

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology has become one of the mainstream techniques for active landslide identification over a large area. However, the method for interpreting anomalous deformation areas derived from InSAR data is still mainly manual delineation through human–computer interaction. This study focuses on using a deep learning semantic segmentation model to identify the boundaries of anomalous deformation areas automatically. We experimented with the delineation results based on an InSAR deformation map, hot spot map, and different combinations of topographic datasets to build the optimal model. The result indicates that the hot spot map, aspect, and Google Earth image as input features based on the U-Net model can achieve the best performance, with the precision, recall, F1 score, and intersection over union (IoU) being 0.822, 0.835, 0.823, and 0.705, respectively. Our method promotes the development of identifying active landslides using InSAR technology automatically and rapidly at a regional scale. Moreover, applying a new method for automatically and rapidly identifying potential landslides in susceptible areas is necessary for landslide hazard mitigation and risk management.

Rockfall monitoring with a Doppler radar on an active rockslide complex in Brienz/Brinzauls (Switzerland)

Abstract. We present and analyze a rockfall catalog from an active landslide complex in Brienz/Brinzauls of the Swiss Alps, collected with a new Doppler radar system. This radar system provides a complete and continuous time series of rockfall events with volumes of 1 m3 and greater since 2018 and serves as automatic traffic control for an important main road. In the period between January 2018 and October 2022, 6743 events were detected, which is 2 orders of magnitude higher activity than in stable continental cliffs. A few percent of all rockfall events reached the shadow area, which hosts an important road and agricultural area. The Doppler radar data set allows us to investigate the triggering factors quantitatively. We found that the background rockfall activity is controlled by seasonal climatic triggers. In winter, more rockfalls are observed during thawing periods, whereas in summer the rockfall activity increases with hourly rainfall intensity. We also found that, due to the geological setting in an active landslide complex, increased rockfall activity occurs clustered in space and time, triggered by local displacement hotspots. Thus, monitoring spatial and temporal variations of slope displacement velocity is crucial for detailed rockfall hazard assessment in similar geological settings.

Automatic identification of active landslides over wide areas from time-series InSAR measurements using Faster RCNN

Automatic identification of active landslides over wide areas from time-series InSAR measurements using Faster RCNN

Geomorphic understanding of loess landslides activity on the loess tableland:A case study in the Bailu Tableland, China

Loess landslides, predominantly triggered by human activity and precipitation, dominate the geomorphological evolution of extensive regions of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Tablelands constitute a large proportion of this Loess Plateau. Although the area has a long history of human occupation, the Bailu Tableland is relatively poorly studied. Recent landslide events along the edge of the tableland significantly affected lives and livelihoods. To develop a better understanding of geomorphological evolution and develop appropriate hazard management and mitigation strategies, we characterized recent landslide activity and determined whether there are discernable trends in activity. We used Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) observations, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) monitoring, and Digital Terrain Analysis (DTA) to observe significant differences in the position, shape, and magnitude between old and new landslides. The geomorphological evolution of the tableland was initially driven by large landslides, while current and future morphological development is more likely affected by small landslide events. We demonstrate the successful application of InSAR to investigate potential landslides in well-vegetated loess landscapes and show that loess landslides tend to develop on slopes with high relative relief and high topographic wetness associated with gully erosion. Unlike landslides induced by groundwater variations in the Heifangtai and South Jingyang tablelands, precipitation and infrastructure construction form the main controls on landslide activity in the Bailu Tableland. We propose two geomorphological evolution models that describe loess tableland recession caused by landslides. The results from this research contribute to a better understanding of the reactivation behavior of landslides along loess tablelands, provide a scientific foundation for landslide hazard and risk management, and supplement understanding of the geomorphological evolution of loess tableland landscapes.