Risk assessment of land subsidence based on GIS in the Yongqiao area, Suzhou City, China

Abstract This study focuses on the Yongqiao District in Suzhou City, Anhui Province, China, aiming to analyze the current situation of ground settlement and its influencing factors in the area. The selected risk indices include settlement rate, cumulative settlement amount, groundwater level drop funnel, thickness of loose sediment layer, thickness of soft soil layer, and the number of groundwater extraction layers. Additionally, vulnerability indices such as population density, building density, road traffic, and functional zoning are considered. An evaluation index system for assessing land Subsidence risk was established. The risk evaluation of land Subsidence was conducted using the Hierarchical analysis-composite index method and ArcGIS spatial analysis, The evaluation results show that the area of higher risk area is about 2.82 km 2 , accounting for 0.96% of the total area, mainly distributed in the area of Jiuli village, Sanba Street. The middle risk area is distributed around the higher area, with an area of about 9.18 km 2 , accounting for 3.13% of the total area. The lower risk areas were distributed in most of the study area, covering an area of 222.24 km 2 , accounting for 75.82% of the total area. The low risk assessment area is mainly distributed in Bianhe Street and part of Zhuxianzhuang Town, with an area of about 58.88 km 2 , accounting for 20.09% of the total area. The findings of this study are not only crucial for informing local policies and practices related to land use planning, infrastructure development, and emergency response but also enhance our understanding of the complexities of land Subsidence processes and their interactions with human activities, informing future research and practice in environmental risk assessment and management.