Landslide Susceptibility Assessment of Soil Types in the Bharmour Development Block, Chamba District, Himachal Pradesh

Landslides represent one of the most destructive natural hazards, causing significant loss of life and infrastructure damage worldwide. Among the numerous factors controlling slope stability, soil properties play a fundamental role in determining susceptibility to failure. The present study investigates the relationship between soil types and landslide occurrence using a frequency ratio (FR) approach in Bharmour Development Block in Chamba District, Himachal Pradesh. For the analysis a comprehensive landslide inventory was developed, and detailed soil maps were analysed to establish statistical relationships between soil classes and landslide distribution in the area. The frequency ratio method, a bivariate statistical technique, was employed to quantify the spatial association between each soil type and landslide events. Results reveal that landslide susceptibility varies significantly across different soil types, with [e.g. loam and fine loamy] exhibiting the highest frequency ratio values (>1.39 average landslide density), indicating strong positive correlations with slope instability. Conversely, [e.g., coarse-loamy, loamy-skeletal and sandy skeletal] with FR values below 1, suggesting greater resistance to failure. The analysis demonstrates that soil textural properties, particularly clay content and permeability contrasts between horizons, are critical determinants of landslide initiation.