Slope instability risks - approach methodology proposal based on a comparative analysis of several Unitary Development Plans

Abstract

Landslides have always been a concern to public safety. These are characterized as widespread and sometimes difficult to predict. One potential tool for landslide risk mitigation is territory planning legislation. In Portugal, a specific instrument of this kind is the Unitary Development Plan (UDP). The aim of this work was to select a few UDP and assess how landslide risk is approached. Eight city councils were selected based on location, history of landslides, population and soil use, and the respective UDP were analyzed. This yielded that UDP generally have different approaches and frequently are not fully adequate to deal with landslide risk. This work converged in the proposal of improvement measures for UDP regarding landslide risk management, including risk mapping methodology. The development and international dissemination of this work was provided by Master in Occupational Safety and Hygiene Engineering (MESHO) from Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP).