The Geomorphotechnical Map: a highly detailed geomorphic map for railroad infrastructure improvement. A case study for the Prahova River Defile (Curvature Carpathians, Romania)

Abstract

The paper proposes a new type of geomorphic map, a selective fusion of geomorphic data with land engineering and transport infrastructure features at the detailed scale of 1:5,000. The map focuses on the interaction between landforms, morphodynamics and transport infrastructure, having as interface the land engineering works. The "geomorphotechnical map" as it was named was developed in a digital format as a GIS project for the Prahova River Defile (Curvature Carpathians, Romania), a sector along the main transcarpathian route which links Bucharest with Brasov and Transylvania. Geomorphic data was collected through detailed field mapping, during summer and autumn periods, together with GPS surveying. The technical infrastructure elements were located also using orthophotos from different time periods. The map reflects the main favourable geomorphic conditions (and limitations) for the improvement of a difficult sector along the Bucharest-Brasov main railway; this has national and European importance (a sector of the 4 th Pan European Corridor). Since 2008 this railway (double and electrified since 1969) is the subject of complex and costly improvement works supported by European Financed Projects.

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“…Microsoft Office Excel 2013 was used as a .dbf file tabbed data processing software. In order to create the map of relief suitability for transport infrastructure, we used a multi-criteria analysis in which a range of terrain configuration data (slope map), geological substrate and land use were introduced (Dobre 2009). Thus, in the framework of the multi-criteria analysis, each factor was given a different weight.…”

“…Over the last 200 years, the area has been greatly impacted by anthropic activities such as: construction of railway, roads and bridges, channel regulation and bank protection works, gravel mining, building of two small dams and 10 run-ofriver hydropower plants, afforestation/deforestation, oil exploitation, population growth and tourism (Brașovanu, 2017;Dobre, 2009).…”

“…A development model requires a geomorphological survey, as it has the capacity to identify solutions with the purpose of maintaining a balance between natural and man-made environments (Dobre 2016).…”

Early warning intelligent system for road transportation risks

“…These natural hazards lead to numerous road accidents which cause important casualties and material losses every year [5].…”

General topography of Prahova County, Romania

“…Prahova County was the subject of different thematic maps due to a range of geographic topics: landslide mapping and landslide susceptibility analysis (Șandric & Chițu, 2009;Şandric, Chiţu, Mihai, & Săvu-lescu, 2011), geomorphological mapping for practical use (geomorphotechnical map by Dobre, Mihai, & Săvulescu, 2011) and historical urban development (Pătru-Stupariu, Stupariu, Cuculici, & Huzui, 2011).…”