Landslide Morphology And Susceptibility Analysis Of Mount Akyayla Using GIS-based Frequency Ratio Method (Doğubayazıt / Ağrı)

Abstract

Mount Akyayla is located on the borders of Doğubayazıt district in Ağrı province, south of Mount Ağrı. Landslides are quite common in the mountainous mass forming the Türkiye-Iran border due to lithological, topographic, tectonic and anthropogenic processes. A total of 141 landslides were identified on the mountain, of which 121 are active landslides and 20 are paleo-landslides. Forty of the active landslides are flow-type landslide formations. The seismically-active mountain environment, the presence of highly landslide-susceptible lithologies such as flysch, high topographic slope values, fluvial drainage and anthropogenic interventions are the main factors responsible for landslide morphology. Approximately 44.15 km2 of the topographic landscape of the mountainous area with an area of 325 km2 was calculated to be shaped by landslides. In the study, GIS-based landslide susceptibility analysis and classifications were carried out using the Frequency Ratio Method by determining the proxies for parameters causing landslides. According to the classification, landslide susceptibility is very low for 9.5% of the mass, low for 22.8%, moderate for 35.7%, high for 23.5% and very high for 8.5%. Cultural and natural geosites in the region are located in areas with high to very high landslide hazard. For example, touristic assets such as Noah’s Ark, İshakpaşa Palace, Urartu Castle, and Selçuklu Mosque are located in areas with high landslide susceptibility. This indicates the necessity to consider landslide hazards during spatial planning and protection. © 2025 TMMOB Chamber of Geological Engineers. All rights reserved.