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Utilizing crowdsourcing to enhance the mitigation and management of landslides

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A Correction to this article was published on 30 August 2018

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Abstract

Landslides are mainly triggered by earthquakes and rainfall and have poor temporal predictability. Landslides pose significant threats to settlements and infrastructure in mountainous regions around the world. To mitigate this natural hazard, a new paradigm of landslide mitigation and management is required. Increasing smartphone ownership around the world, especially in developing countries, offers scientists an opportunity to embrace crowdsourcing so as to improve landslide research. This paper presents a new landslide information system (LIS) comprising a smartphone app and an administrative interface and database. The mobile app has been published for both iPhone and Android platforms. The interface of the smartphone app is powered by the highly-customizable Google Maps platform, which is overlaid with real-time landslide data. Users can choose between visualizing “known sites” and “contribution” of landslide data. The visualization option shows published landslides and areas that are susceptible. Users can contribute their GPS coordinates and multimedia to enhance landslide reports. A comparison with similar systems, potential applications, and challenges of using smartphone technology for mitigating landslides are also discussed.

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Change history

  • 30 August 2018

    The published version of this article, unfortunately, contained error. The author realized an important change of the disclaimer section, which needs to qualify that only Figure 2 requires the permission from the GEO and not the entire content of the manuscript

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Funding

This project was supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute (HKJCDPRI17EG04) and the HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study, the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (16209717 and T22-603/15 N), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (5170091039).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Clarence Edward Choi & Yifei Cui

  2. The HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong, SAR, Hong Kong

    Clarence Edward Choi

  3. HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha, Guangzhou, China

    Clarence Edward Choi

  4. Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China

    Gordon G. D. Zhou

  5. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Water Conservancy, Chengdu, China

    Gordon G. D. Zhou

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  1. Clarence Edward Choi
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  2. Yifei Cui
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  3. Gordon G. D. Zhou
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Correspondence to Gordon G. D. Zhou.

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This paper is published with the permission of the Head of the Geotechnical Engineering Office and the Director of Civil Engineering and Development.

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Choi, C.E., Cui, Y. & Zhou, G.G.D. Utilizing crowdsourcing to enhance the mitigation and management of landslides. Landslides 15, 1889–1899 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-1034-9

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