Accurate determination of the Taşkent (Konya, Turkey) landslide using a long-range terrestrial laser scanner

Landslides are a common type of mass movement that occur in large numbers and have significant effects on topography. In Turkey, landslides rank second after earthquakes among natural disasters that cause widespread loss of life and property. This study investigates the monitoring of the Taşkent Landslide (Konya, Turkey), which has considerably affected the local topography. The landslide in Taşkent had an adverse effect on transportation to nearby towns and villages. Initial studies were conducted using the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurement scale; these studies are currently on-going. Since 2011, studies using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), which is one of the latest ground-positioning technologies, have also been launched. This article presents the results of the TLS and GNSS approaches used to monitor, characterise and model an active landslide. It includes the comparison and analysis of a point cloud, three-dimensional model, profile and change in volume mass acquired in different time periods in one landslide area. The point cloud data, obtained from two different time periods using the TLS technique, and supported by the results of GNSS analysis, were analysed via different methods. The TLS revealed that up to 4 m of material was displaced at the site of the landslide, and it revealed detailed information about how the landslide occurred. The volume of the mass that moved as a result of the landslide was determined, and movements that occurred in the geological structure were monitored. These studies showed that the TLS point cloud method can be effectively used in the monitoring of landslides that occur in areas that are large, difficult to reach, rugged or mountainous.