ABSTRACT
The mechanisms of landslides are dependent on independent environmental parameters (conditioning factors), such as slope material, geomorphic conditions (the same as rocks, soil or artificial fill) and the triggering factors. This chapter reviews many aspects of landslides, causes, mapping and monitoring. The main forms of landslides are shallow rapid landslides, rapid and slow deep slides, deep-seated landslides and slow flows and deformations. In Malaysia, continuous development, urbanization, deforestation and weathering erosion of soil masses cause serious threats to slope stability and loss of lives and properties. Remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) techniques are commonly being used for evaluation, prediction and mitigation of landslides with high precision. A landslide is the result of the interplay of two important factors: predisposing and triggering factors that determine the probability of the landslide's occurrence. Among all the available methods, qualitative and quantitative analyses are the most common approaches in landslide susceptibility mapping.
