Comparative study of landform mapping using terrain attributes and topographic position index (TPI)‎ : a case study in al-Alamien-Ras el-Hekma Region, Egypt

Abstract EN

The aim of this study is to compare the classification of the landscape of the area located between Al-Alamien and Ras El-Hekma to landform classes using two different classification methods; the terrain attributes method and the topographic position index (TPI) method.

Terrain attributes classification method derived from a digital elevation model and were overlaid using cell statistics to generate a landform map with seven classes.

The landform classes were: (1) Lower coastal plain (17.86 %), (2) Upper coastal plain (43.61 %), (3) Piedmont plain (2.33 %), (4) Dissected escarpment (2.64 %), (5) Plateau (26.79 %), (6) Ridges and coastal bars (3.62 %), and (7) Inland dunes (3.15 %).

The topographic position index (TPI) method which generate the landform classes uses only the digital elevation model.

The generated landform classes were : (1) Valleys (2.1%), (2) Midslopes drainages and shallow valleys (1.1 %), (3) Plains (92.77 %), (4) Hills in plains (0.34 %), (5) Mesas (2.44 %), and (6) Ridges (1.25 %).

The comparison of the two methods showed that using the terrain attributes method was more detailed.