The Institute for Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Rijeka and the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering of the University of Zagreb presented two scientific and scholarly studies that, using modern technologies, contribute to a better understanding of geological risks and to ensuring a better basis for spatial planning and damage prevention.
The landslide inventory map in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County – the northern part of the Gorski Kotar and Littoral microregions, which was prepared at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Rijeka for an area of 287 km², identified a total of 4,977 landslides, which occupy approximately 8% of the surface area of the research area, based on a geomorphological analysis. Of these, the largest number, 87%, are located in the area of the Town of Čabar, and the rest in the Municipality of Klana, while no landslides were identified in the studied part of the Municipality of Jelenje, as expected given the absence of natural landslide conditions.
The research by the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering of the University of Zagreb, Landslide Susceptibility Zoning Map of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County – part of the Gorski Kotar microregion, starts from the analysis of the geomorphological landslide inventory prepared in the previous phase of the project for an area of 474 km² (the entire area of the Municipality of Fužine, parts of the areas of the towns of Čabar, Bakar, Delnice and parts of the municipalities of Jelenje, Čavle and Lokve) and processes information about 6,312 landslides using five different machine learning methods. The results show a low susceptibility zone covering a total of 92% of the area and a medium susceptibility zone covering 2%, while the high susceptibility zone covers 5%, i.e. an area of 25 km², within which 97% of the total area of existing recorded landslides in the studied area is located.
The research is a continuation of detailed landslide research in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County based on the methodology developed within the scientific research project PRI-MJER – Applied landslide research for the development of risk mitigation and prevention measures, co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund. The next phases of the research are also being prepared, which will include the remaining areas with natural preconditions for landslides in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
The participants were addressed by the Director of the Public Institution, the Institute for Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Adam Butigan, on behalf of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Rijeka, the Dean, Prof Mladen Bulić PhD and the Vice-Dean for Science, Prof Leo Škec PhD, and on behalf of the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, the Head of the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Prof Martin Krkač PhD.
The scientific study was presented by the project leaders, with an introduction by Gorana Ljubičić, Head of the Spatial Planning Service of the Institute for Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, followed by the conducted research by Petra Jagodnik, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Rijeka, and Sanja Bernat Gazibara, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering of the University of Zagreb.
The presentation of the study was attended by representatives of public bodies and institutions, as well as local government units, experts, scientific researchers and other interested parties.