Landslide Phenomena Research Articles

Cascading Landslide: Kinematic and Finite Element Method Analysis through Remote Sensing Techniques

Cascading landslides are specific multi-hazard events in which a primary movement triggers successive landslide processes. Areas with dynamic and quickly changing environments are more prone to this type of phenomena. Both the kind and the evolution velocity of a landslide depends on the materials involved. Indeed, rockfalls are generated when rocks fall from a very steep slope, while debris flow and/or mudslides are generated by fine materials like silt and clay after strong water imbibition. These events can amplify the damage caused by the initial trigger and propagate instability along a slope, often resulting in significant environmental and societal impacts. The Morino-Rendinara cascading landslide, situated in the Ernici Mountains along the border of the Abruzzo and Lazio regions (Italy), serves as a notable example of the complexities and devastating consequences associated with such events. In March 2021, a substantial debris flow event obstructed the Liri River, marking the latest step in a series of landslide events. Conventional techniques such as geomorphological observations and geological surveys may not provide exhaustive information to explain the landslide phenomena in progress. For this reason, UAV image acquisition, InSAR interferometry, and pixel offset analysis can be used to improve the knowledge of the mechanism and kinematics of landslide events. In this work, the interferometric data ranged from 3 January 2020 to 24 March 2023, while the pixel offset data covered the period from 2016 to 2022. The choice of such an extensive data window provided comprehensive insight into the investigated events, including the possibility of identifying other unrecorded events and aiding in the development of more effective mitigation strategies. Furthermore, to supplement the analysis, a specific finite element method for slope stability analysis was used to reconstruct the deep geometry of the system, emphasizing the effect of groundwater-level flow on slope stability. All of the findings indicate that major landslide activities were concentrated during the heavy rainfall season, with movements ranging from several centimeters per year. These results were consistent with numerical analyses, which showed that the potential slip surface became significantly more unstable when the water table was elevated.

Seismic fragility and risk assessment of Reinforced Concrete bridges undergoing elastomeric bearing deformations induced by landslide

The paper presents a study on the seismic fragility of Reinforced Concrete (RC) bridges isolated by elastomeric bearing devices subjected to differential displacements induced by slow-moving landslides. The seismic behaviour of isolated bridges is ruled by the performance of elastomeric bearings to reduce and dissipate earthquake actions. These bridges are subjected to service loads that usually are accounted for in design, but possible additional actions from the surrounding environment, such as landslides affecting substructure components, can seriously undermine the seismic response. The paper describes a practical approach to investigate the seismic fragility and risk of RC bridges isolated by elastomeric bearings, which may undergo early deformations induced by the differential displacements of substructure components. On the basis of previous existing studies, the proposed methodology is based on numerical modelling accounting for landslide-induced substructure displacements and proper modifications on the constitutive law and hysteretic response of the elastomeric bearings. Subsequently, after establishing specific limit-states, nonlinear time history analyses of the seismic response are used to estimate fragility curves and risk indicators. The study points out that it is possible to quantify the influence of landslide-induced effects on seismic fragility and risk by using only two numerical models, in order to provide decision support to transportation authority responsible for ensuring the safety of bridges and road networks. The proposed approach has been tested on a real-life case study, the Santo Stefano Viaduct in Italy, which was subjected in the past to relevant deformations of the elastomeric bearings due to an active landslide phenomenon.

A New Methodology for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Bridges Under Slow Deformation Phenomena

Roadway bridges can be subjected to several pathologies affecting their structural performance during operational conditions. Among others, slow deformation phenomena due to landslides often represent the primary cause of the onset of damage and collapse mechanisms. The timely identification of slow deformation phenomena on bridges and viaducts, as well as the evaluation of their extent and evolution over time, are therefore of crucial importance for preserving the safety conditions of road networks. In common practice, the preliminary analysis of slow deformation phenomena could be carried out over large geographical areas, hence used by managing institutions to set intervention priorities among the assets under their responsibility. In this regard, this paper proposes a new methodology for the diagnosis and monitoring of bridges under the effects of slow deformation phenomena based on the combined use of Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) techniques, visual inspections, geometric surveys, destructive and non-destructive testing methods, and numerical analyses. Specifically, InSAR is adopted to remotely identify bridges affected by slow deformation phenomena within large geographical areas/road networks. Then, visual inspections are carried out on the identified structures to investigate their defectiveness and the detected deformation phenomenon. Depending on the evaluated damage state, a bridge may be subjected to continuous InSAR monitoring, thus enabling the systematic analysis of the evolution of the deformation phenomenon and relevant anomalies over time, or an accurate structural assessment via numerical analyses. In this last circumstance, information gathered from geometric surveys and field tests can be used for the fine-tuning of the numerical models of the structures. A practical application of the proposed methodology for the diagnosis and monitoring of a curved roadway bridge subjected to landslide phenomena is also presented in the paper for illustrative purposes. Overall, the results obtained in the case study provide a sound demonstration of the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

A Virtual Reality Simulation of a Real Landslide for Education and Training: Case of Chiradzulu, Malawi, 2023 Landslide

Virtual reality (VR) is a promising new educational and training tool in the field of disaster and emergency management, especially for hazards that are not frequent or well known to the public and require spatial and situational understanding. The objective of this paper is to describe an educational VR simulation that was developed based on a landslide that really occurred in Southern Malawi during the March 2023 Cyclone Freddy. The cyclone induced several landslides that caused many casualties and significant damage. The VR simulation framework consisted of four critical steps using Unity3D for the creation of the simulation including data preparation, terrain and environmental modeling, landslide simulation development, and virtual reality interactions. The simulation scenarios were diversified to include three distinct landscapes that can help users learn how factors such as terrain can influence landslide impacts. The VR simulation offers users an intimate, firsthand experience of the landslide’s unfolding and allows users the ability to explore various facets of the landslide phenomena. This VR simulation aims to provide an educational tool to facilitate an in-depth understanding of and interaction with a real-word landslide to learn about the impacts of landslides and how different factors can influence these impacts.

Mechanism of a rainfall-induced landslide in a large-scale flume experiment on a weathered granite sand

IntroductionsA large-scale flume experiment was performed to evaluate the mechanism of landslide occurrence due to rainfall using weathered granite sand. The dimensions of the flume were 9 m (length), 1 m (width), and 1 m (depth). The weathered granite sand from the actual landslide site at Da Nang City, Vietnam was used. The pore water pressure was measured by a pore-water pressure transducer at two depths (middle and bottom) to determine the process of rainwater infiltration into the soil. The surface deformation was measured with extensometers at three positions of the slope. The deformation of the entire slope was determined by the 160 cylindrical-shaped makers evenly spaced in the slope and three cameras.ResultsThe results showed that the rainfall infiltrated into the slope process, increasing from negative pore water pressure to approximately 0. The maximum shear strain contour has been plotted in total and in time increments. The shear band was detected from the time increments maximum shear strain contour. The localization in the shear band formed just before failure.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the largest scale laboratory test ever conducted to calculate the shear band. Moreover, it was found that the failure occurred when the sand was in an unsaturated phase. Failure does not seem to depend on the increase in pore water pressure but on the maximum shear strain. This feature can be used to explain the phenomenon of landslides that occur even when the groundwater level does not increase but large deformation occurs.

Method for monitoring and forecasting landslide phenomenon based on machine learning

A landslide involves the downward movement of a mass of rock, debris, earth, or soil. Landslides happen when gravitational forces and other types of shear stresses on a slope surpass the shear strength of the materials. Additionally, landslides can be triggered by processes that weaken the shear strength of the slope's material. Shear strength primarily depends on two factors such as frictional strength, which is the resistance to movement between the interacting particles of the slope material, and cohesive strength, which is the bonding between those particles. A landslide is a terrible natural disaster that causes much damage to both human life and the economy. It often occurs in steep mountainous areas or hilly regions, ranging in scale from medium to large. It progresses slowly (20–50 mm/year), but when it occurs, it can move at a speed of 3 m/s. Therefore, early detection or prevention of this disaster is an essential and significant task. This paper developed a method to collect and analyze data, with the purpose of determining the possibility of landslide occurrences to reduce its potential losses.•The proposed method is convenient for users to grasp information of landslide phenomenon.•A machine learning model is applied to forecast landslide phenomenon.•Internet of things (IoT) system is utilized to manage and send a warning text to individual email address and mobile devices.

Characterization of Underwater Landslides in Krui Waters, Lampung-Indonesia using Shallow Seismic and Sonar Data

Abstract Krui Waters, Lampung, Indonesia, is an area that has the potential for a tsunami disaster. Local tsunamis can be caused by underwater landslides owing to ground movement and gravitational forces. Imaging underwater conditions using sonar and shallow seismic systems is an interesting research topic for geological disaster researchers. Underwater landslides are very important for disaster mitigation, especially for tsunami prediction. This research aims to identify the characteristics of underwater landslides around Krui Waters, Lampung, Indonesia, using imaging analysis methods from sonar data and a sub-bottom profiler (SBP). The underwater landslide phenomenon in this area is still not known in detail, and therefore requires further research. All data were obtained from the results of hydrographic, geological, and geophysical surveys of RV Baruna Jaya IV in 2020. The sonar data shows surface characteristics such as the presence of Furrows (Gravel Waves), Cobble (Boulder), as well as Canyons and landslides or mass movements rocks. SBP data show the characteristics of the seabed in the form of a canyon with a slope greater than 160. Finally, the morphological characteristics and features obtained could possibly be a potential source of local tsunamis owing to the high slope.

Leveraging CNNs-RNNs and Adam Optimization: A Revolutionary Deep Learning approach to landslide prediction in district of Than Uyen, Lao Cai province, Vietnam

This paper presents an innovative deep learning framework for predicting landslides in the District of Than Uyen, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam, harnessing the power of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), and the Adam Optimization algorithm. Given the multifaceted nature of landslide phenomena, influenced by a myriad of geographical and meteorological factors, there is a growing need for advanced computational strategies that can decipher complex patterns and temporal correlations. Our cutting-edge model employs CNNs to analyze and extract significant spatial attributes from topographical and geological data. Concurrently, RNNs -specifically Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks - are deployed to manage time-series data, such as weather conditions and other temporal elements. The Adam Optimization algorithm, renowned for its superior efficiency and effective performance, is used to optimize the model parameters. The model was trained and validated using a comprehensive dataset from the Than Uyen district, comprising 114 landslide and 114 non-landslide locations, along with ten key influential factors: elevation, slope, curvature, aspect, relief amplitude, soil type, geology, and proximity to faults, roads, and rivers. The results demonstrate a noteworthy predictive accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, with the model surpassing benchmarks in prediction power (PPV=93.3%, NPV=83.2%, Sen=82.3%, Spe=94.1%, Acc=88.2%, F-score=0.875, Kappa=0.765, and AUC=0.968). The study advances deep learning in landslide prediction, aiding proactive disaster mitigation and showing potential for application in global regions prone to geographical hazards.

Directivity effect of the spatial distribution of co-seismic landslides affected by near-fault ground motions

Numerous co-seismic landslides occur in near-fault areas, and their spatial distribution seems to correlate well with the distribution of the energy and pulse of near-fault ground motions (NFGMs) in all directions. To confirm the relationship between the energy and pulse characteristics of NFGMs and the spatial distribution of co-seismic landslides, three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D-DDA) was used to investigate the effect of NFGMs on initiating co-seismic landslides through an octagonal platform model and a generalized landslide. This model was subjected to the influence of two sets of representative three-component NFGMs. The outcomes derived from the block sliding processes revealed pronounced variations in the displacements of blocks in different spatial orientations. The greatest difference was up to 4.2 times, and the sliding blocks were more prone to large displacements in the direction with large energy and pulse. This study confirmed that the distribution characteristics of co-seismic landslides are related to the energy and pulse of NFGMs and provided evidence to illuminate the special distribution characteristics phenomenon of co-seismic landslides and theoretical support for the selection of factors for landslide hazard assessment.

Analysis of the Advantages of Open Pit Mining

In the process of open-pit coal mining, the landslide phenomenon is very obvious, so for the safety of mine personnel and the smooth implementation of the project, studying the stability of the slope angle is an extremely important task. There are many factors that affect the stability of the slope, such as soil quality, climatic conditions, later pressure, etc., this project takes the open-pit mine as the research object, calculates the slope coefficient through geological data exploration combined with program analysis method, and then sets up a soil dump near the mining area, so as to improve efficiency, project safety and planning maximum benefits.

Landslide-generated wave simulation using coupled multi-phase flow and Boussinesq-type models

The effect of landslide-generated tsunami waves on coastal areas can be initially understood through a numerical simulation. Moreover, an efficient numerical simulation would be beneficial for predicting tsunami waves. However, a single numerical model that can capture the landslide and wave propagation is still impractical, especially in a large-scale domain. A domain-partitioning technique or coupling model would be more practical. This paper reports a numerical study of a landslide-generated wave, which uses a multi-phase CFD model for the landslide phenomena and a surface wave model based on Boussinesq-type equations for wave propagation. The proposed coupling model that sits between the multi-phase CFD and wave models validated by laboratory experiments is shown to be effective. The computation domain of the CFD model can be defined as small as it covers the impacted area of the landslide. The rest of the domain can be handled by the wave model that propagates the wave accurately with a low computation cost.

Surface Displacements Monitoring in Cyprus via InSAR and Field Investigation: The Case Studies of Pyrgos-Parekklisia and Pedoulas Villages

The island of Cyprus is characterised by a complex geological environment as it overlies a boundary zone of three tectonic plates, leading to high seismicity and intensive tectonism. It consists highly of Neogene marls, exhibiting serious geotechnical problems due to their high content of clay minerals. Along with strong, destructive earthquakes, various geohazards have been identified in Cyprus, including landslides, swelling/shrinking phenomena and land subsidence etc. Pedoulas is a village in Cyprus experiencing ground deformation due to landslide phenomena. Conversely, Pyrgos and Parekklisia villages in Limassol, Cyprus are experiencing a long-term swelling/shrinking phenomenon. To further investigate this surface deformation, a time-series InSAR analysis of Sentinel-1 SLC images of ascending satellite passes was performed, with a parallelised version of PSI (Persistent Scatterers Interferometry), along with field investigation, for the time period of 2016 to 2021. Negative vertical displacements with maximum rates of −10 mm/y, were identified in Pedoulas village, while positive vertical displacements with a maximum rate of 10 mm/y, dominated in Pyrgos and Parekklisia villages. The analysis of precipitation data from 2017 to 2021, presented a correlation between annual fluctuations in precipitation in the affected areas and changes in the InSAR time-series deformation trends. In Pedoulas village, landslide movements sped up during spring and summer, when the infiltration of waste water in the ground intensified due to the increase in the tourist population. In Pyrgos-Parekklisia villages, higher positive deformation rates were identified in winter months, while during summer, when the formations dried out, uplifting phenomena stopped evolving. The integration of InSAR displacements with field investigation provided validation of the observed ground failures and added valuable insights into the driving mechanisms of the deformation phenomena. Finally, the assessment of the impact of the triggering factor in the evolution of the deformation phenomena, can serve as a valuable tool for risk mitigation.

An assessment of the geomorphodiversity and land use/cover change (LUCC) effects associated with landslides in Meghalaya, India

AbstractThe Shillong Plateau in the Eastern Himalayas is exposed to high seismicity, neo‐tectonic activity and orographic precipitation that aggravated landslides in the region by affecting hillslope processes. Landscape development is influenced by landslide phenomenon and depends upon geomorphic processes and geomorphodiversity (GmD). It is linked intimately with geomorphology, hydrology and soil type. This study uses a remote sensing and GIS‐based approach to assess the spatial linkage between GmD and landslide distribution in Meghalaya (India). GmD index (GmDI) is developed using geological, morphometric and geomorphological parameters and analysed with landslide distribution. The landslide distribution considering land use/cover change (LUCC) is also examined. The result shows that the region with high‐relief, valley and depression zone, mainly along the Dauki fault, have a high to a very high GmDI. About 61% of landslide localities are in zones of high GmDI, concentrated in the central and eastern parts of Meghalaya. Density analysis of the very high class (class 5) of GmD confirms the same. Most of these landslides occur in dense and light‐vegetated landmasses. However, the LUCC analysis reveals a significant increase in the built area on steeper slopes (average expansion ratio of 2.30 for slopes >15°) between 2017 and 2022, indicating a rising threat of landslides in urban areas of Meghalaya. The study presents the importance of GmD in active tectonic regions with particular reference to landslide potential and recent LUCC. It can aid decision‐makers in planning sustainable developments and risk mitigation strategies for landslide hazards and geoconservation.

On the interaction between a large landslide and a bridge

The roads and motorways bridge inspection program which is undergoing in Italy is revealing the high number of infrastructures interacting with landslide phenomena. It cannot be otherwise in a country characterized by such a complex morphology. A peculiar example of such soil-structure interaction is that represented by the Rio Bavera bridge in Triora whose abutment is affected by a large landslide. The paper describes this interaction from the phenomenological point of view. The geological and geotechnical investigation carried out to characterize the behavior of the soil and rock formations constituting the large landslide will be illustrated together with the monitoring activities undertaken to understand the mutual interaction between the landslide and the bridge.

Ground investigation: a tool for landslide risk mitigation of infrastructures

Recent monitoring experiences for bridges in Central and South Italy have shown that it is not common for bridges to be directly damaged by landslides phenomena in their vicinities, either because their siting was very carefully selected at the origin or because appropriate protection measures have been taken to reduce geological risk to acceptable levels. In the first case, periodic visual inspections of the manufacts may suffice to monitor possible consequences of ground instability phenomena, but in the second case monitoring of the infrastructure and of the ground is the only possible tool to evaluate the existence of a landslide-structure interaction which can influence its performance and safety. Ground investigation is a fundamental activity for landslide monitoring and analysis, and this is specifically true when a landslide-infrastructure interaction problem needs to be investigated and assessed. By discussing the results from case studies recently inspected, this paper shows how the knowledge of the physical processes and the monitoring of selected parameters are the first irreplaceable tools to mitigate risks associated with instability phenomena interacting with sensitive infrastructures.

Landslides Rainfall One of the Main Triggering Factors in the Mountainous Regions of Puebla, Mexico

The rains are one of the main triggers of landslide phenomena in the mountainous region of Puebla, which values reach up 4500 mm/year in some places in this area. Rainfalls combined with other factors such as morphology (mountainous topographic relief with strong inclinations), strongly folded sedimentary rocks (conglomerates, sandstones, siltstones, and limestones), rock discontinuities (fissures, cracks, joints, stratigraphic planes, etc.) and human activity (cuts, excavations, overloads, mining, water discharge, deforestation, land use change, etc.), offer a scenario prone to landslide phenomena that cause human casualties, economic and environmental losses. The landslides disasters have affected many social sectors from these communities (housing, education, health, hydraulic infrastructure, electricity, communication, transportation, public services, agriculture, forestry, etc.), observing that in these sites there are communities of ethnic groups Nahuatls, Totonacs, Otomies and Tepehuas who build their houses out of sheet metal, cardboard, plastic and wood where any natural phenomenon represents a true disaster. This article presents the relationship between hurricanes and torrential rains with the disasters caused in communities in the mountainous region of Puebla. From the analysis of the data obtained from the different meteorological stations installed in the region of interest during a period of 20 years (1999 – 2019), an empirical rainfall threshold of 100 mm/day was determined as a trigger for landslides in the region of study. The aforementioned value is very important data for Civil Protection Government Authorities in order to establish actions and strategies for mitigation and risk management due to landslides. From this rain threshold, evacuation actions are put into operation to reduce the vulnerability of exposed and fragile communities which are immediately transferred to protection shelters

Analysis of the stability of the Kuban river landslide slope involving the materials of landslide hazard monitoring

The article discusses the improvement of methods for calculating the landslide threat in the monitoring of landslide hazard areas on the Kuban River and the study of the possibility of their negative impact on the operated hydraulic structures. The growth of economic activity, intensive use of water resources in the Kuban River basin leads to a decrease in the bearing capacity of slopes and an increase in landslide phenomena. These processes are also observed in the basins of other anthropogenically developed rivers of the Russian Federation. Shore protection structures and their construction are justified on the basis of the limit state method in accordance with the requirements of SR 58.13330.2011. The stability of such structures should be determined by reference to the stability conditions of the entire slope taking into account all acting loads and impacts. To solve this problem it is very effective to use a complex of structures regulating the flow of the river, flow guides (dams made of selected rockfill), slope-strengthening ones, etc. Measures justifying economic activity on a landslide slope are very effective. The right slope of the Kuban River in the suburbs of Armavir, Krasnodar Krai is characterized by the fact that significant (more than 3 m) fluctuations in inter-level and flood flow of rare frequency are observed on this section of the river. Realizing anti-landslide and bank strengthening measures it is necessary to provide for both a reduction in general and local erosion of the left bank and the drainage of groundwater and surface from the anthropogenically developed area adjacent to the right slope of the river Kuban. The purpose of this research is to substantiate the stability of the right slope of the Kuban River in the vicinity of the city of Armavir, Krasnodar Krai, where initial collapses are already taking place in connection with the construction of residential buildings in the immediate vicinity of the bank and the development of general and local erosion of the right bank of the river. The calculation is carried out according to several methods for the basic and special load combinations. These calculations are necessary to substantiate landslide and bank protection measures on the right bank of the Kuban River.

Revisit the classical Newmark displacement analysis for earthquake-induced wedge sliding of a rock slope

Newmark displacement analysis (NDA) has been widely used to study the initiation and kinematics of earthquake-induced landslides. The classical NDA for earthquake-induced wedge slides assumes that the wedge is a rigid block (assumption A1). The vertical and horizontal accelerations perpendicular to the sliding direction are neglected (assumptions A2 and A3). Moreover, the friction angles (friction coefficients) of the sliding surfaces are assumed to be constant during sliding (assumption A4). This study evaluates the influences of these four assumptions on the kinematics of huge wedges adopted, where the shear stress could not be identical to the sliding direction. Different rock wedge shapes subjected to synthetic seismic loads are modeled, and the sensitivity of removing unnecessary assumptions from the analysis is evaluated. A case study of the earthquake-induced Daguangbao landslide (wedge slide) is provided to assess the influence of the rigid wedge assumption and adopted strengths along wedge planes on the sliding kinematics. Our study shows that the rigid wedge method (RWM) incorporated into NDA (A1) always yields an unconservative prediction of permanent displacement comparing to maximum shear stress method (MSSM), particularly for huge, narrow wedges. The MSSM, which assumes that the shear stress perpendicular to the sliding direction equals the shear strength, should be considered owing to wedge deformation if huge rock masses are involved. Neglecting the vertical acceleration (A2) induced an underestimation of permanent displacement, particularly for narrow wedges with a gentle plunge of the intersection line. Although horizontal acceleration perpendicular to the trend of I-Line does influence the NDA results for asymmetrical wedges, the effect (A3) is insignificant. Assuming a constant strength on the wedge plane (A4) only predicted stick-slip behavior but not a frequently observed high-mobility phenomenon of huge landslides. Finally, the rapid and long run-out sliding of the Daguangbao landslide can be successfully predicted if the velocity-displacement dependent friction law is appropriately incorporated into NDA using MSSM.

Mapping of Landslide Potential Zone with FRM Method and Mitigation in Ayah, Kebumen Regency

Landslides phenomena occur yearly in Ayah sub-district and various factors persist in the future cause these landslides. The Frequency Ratio Method is one approach to mapping landslide potential. It involves direct data collection of potential landslide points in the field. This method uses parameters such as Lithology, slope, NDVI, Monthly Precipitation, and Land Use to calculate landslide potential. These parameters are overlaid with the frequency of potential landslide points in Ayah sub- district. The resulting frequency ratio value is classified into five potential landslide zones. The findings reveal that high values covering 10.97% and very high values covering 41.75% are distributed across almost all the settlements in Ayah Sub-district, except for the northern area. The high frequency value shows the dominance of steep slope, presence of weathered breccia and limestone lithology as well as agricultural land with fibrous roots and it is also related to the complex changes in land use, such as mining and clearing activities. This highlights the importance of taking preventive and escalation measures among the relevant stakeholders to minimize the impact of this landslide.

A Low-Cost and Fast Operational Procedure to Identify Potential Slope Instabilities in Cultural Heritage Sites

Italy is famous for its one-of-a-kind landscapes and the many cultural heritage sites characterizing the story of its regions. In central Italy, during the medieval age, some of them were built on the top of high and steep cliffs, often on the top of ancient ruins, to protect urban agglomerations, goods and people. The geographical locations of these centers allowed them to maintain their original conformation over time, but, at the same time, exposed them to a high risk of landslides. In this context, this research aimed to present an integrated and low-cost approach to study the potential landslide phenomena affecting two medieval towns. Field surveys and mapping were carried out through the use of innovative digital mapping tools to create a digital database directly on the field. Data gathered during field surveys were integrated with GIS analyses for an improved interpretation of the geological and geomorphological features. Due to the inaccessibility of the cliffs surrounding the two villages, a more detailed analysis of these areas was performed through the use of unmanned aerial vehicle-based photogrammetry, while advanced differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry (A-DInSAR) interpretation was undertaken to verify the stability of the buildings in proximity to the cliffs and other potential active failures. The results of the study highlighted the similar geometry and structural settings of the two areas. Kinematically, the intersection of three main joint sets tends to detach blocks (sometimes in high volumes) from the cliffs. The A-DInSAR analysis demonstrated the presence of a landslide failure along the northwest side of the Monte San Martino town. The buildings in proximity to the cliffs did not show evidence of movements. More generally, this research gives insights into the pro and cons of different survey and analysis approaches and into the benefits of their procedural integration in space and in time. Overall, the procedure developed here may be applied in similar contexts in order to understand the structural features driving slopes’ instabilities and create digital databases of geological/monitoring data.