GIS-based analysis of geo-resources and geo-hazards for urban areas - the example of the northern periphery of Belo Horizonte (capital of Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Abstract

Easily understandable thematic maps of geo-scientific parameters are important for land use decision making. If several parameters are relevant and have to be compared, it is important that they are consistent with each other, available at the same spatial range and detail and normed to a common data range. In the current study, geological and topographical data have been used to derive a set of 90 geo-scientific maps for an area of 400 km² in the northern part of the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte. Each parameter has been transferred to a common data range between 0 and 1 using a Semantic Import Model strategy and afterwards combined to derive new parameters for soil hydrology and hydrogeology. From these, many intermediate geo-scientific parameters, maps of geo-resources (sand/gravel, carbonates, fertile soils) and geo-hazards (erosion, groundwater pollution) have been derived that they can be used as base information for a participatory and sustainable land use planning. The workflow is transparently stored in GIS-tools and can be modified and updated if new information is available.

Geohazards and Geomorphological Setting in Poznań Urban Area, Poland

“…These processes are subject to constant changes due to the construction of anthropogenic landforms, sealing of the ground surface, changes in rainwater runoff, etc. Examples of geohazard maps of specific cities can be found in the studies by Kaphle et al (2007), Kociu (2013a, 2013b), Cigna et al (2015), Hofmann et al (2017), Eremina et al (2018), Paliaga et al (2019), andTotaro et al (2020). More commonly, however, geohazard maps are made for regions rather than cities (e.g.…”