Convolutional neural network (CNN) with metaheuristic optimization algorithms for landslide susceptibility mapping in Icheon, South Korea

Landslides are a geological hazard that can pose a serious threat to human health and the environment of highlands or mountain slopes. Landslide susceptibility mapping is an essential tool for predicting and mitigating landslides. This study aimed to investigate the application of deep learning algorithms based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with metaheuristic optimization algorithms, namely the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) and imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA), to landslide susceptibility mapping. The study area was Icheon City, South Korea, for which an accurate landslide inventory dataset was available. The landslide inventory map was prepared and randomly divided into datasets of 70% for training and 30% for validation. Additionally, 18 landslide-related factors, including geo-environmental and topo-hydrological factors, were considered as predictive variables. The models were compared using area under the curve (AUC) values in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The validation results showed that optimized models based on CNN-GWO (AUC = 0.876, RMSE = 0.08) and CNN-ICA (AUC = 0.852, RMSE = 0.09) outperformed the standalone CNN model (AUC = 0.847, RMSE = 0.12). Nevertheless, the CNN model outperformed previous research that used a machine learning algorithm alone. Thus, the deep learning algorithm with optimization algorithms proposed in this study can generate more suitable models for landslide susceptibility mapping in the study area due to its improved accuracy.