Embedding a geographic information system in a decision support system forlandslide hazard monitoring

In this paper we present an application that exploits a geographic informat ion system as a front-end of a complex information system supporting the ma nagement of landslide hazard in Valtellina, an alpine valley in Northern It aly. A decision support system (EYDENET, operational since October 1996), incorp orating a geographic information system and a data interpreter based on art ificial intelligence techniques, processes the readings of the 250 most sig nificant instruments of a monitoring net of about 1000 sensors installed on different landslides in several alpine valleys. Data gathered by extensometers, clinometers and pluviometers, to check both movements of rocks and climatic conditions which could affect them, are pr ocessed by EYDENET, that provides on-line interpretation of data, helps the users analyse them, and generates natural language explanations and alarm messages for the people responsible for the environmental management and th e civil protection.