Ensemble machine learning models based on Reduced Error Pruning Tree for prediction of rainfall-induced landslides

In this paper, we developed highly accurate ensemble machine learning models integrating Reduced Error Pruning Tree (REPT) as a base classifier with the Bagging (B), Decorate (D), and Random Subspace (RSS) ensemble learning techniques for spatial prediction of rainfall-induced landslides in the Uttarkashi district, located in the Himalayan range, India. To do so, a total of 103 historical landslide events were linked to twelve conditioning factors for generating training and validation datasets. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the training and validation performances of the models. The results showed that the single REPT model and its derived ensembles provided a satisfactory accuracy for the prediction of landslides. The D-REPT model with RMSE = 0.351 and AUC = 0.907 was identified as the most accurate model, followed by RSS-REPT (RMSE = 0.353 and AUC = 0.898), B-REPT (RMSE = 0.396 and AUC = 0.876), and the single REPT model (RMSE = 0.398 and AUC = 0.836), respectively. The prominent ensemble models proposed and verified in this study provide engineers and modelers with insights for development of more advanced predictive models for different landslide-susceptible areas around the world.