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Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266

Landscape, Environment, European Identity, 4-6 November, 2011, Bucharest

Terrain susceptibility to geomorphological processes and their

impact on tourism infrastructure in the Sâmbata valley
Mountains, Romania)
, Anca Munteanu

Abstract

The Sâmbata Valley is located in the north-eastern part of the Fagaras Mts, an area with a varied range of present
geomorphologic processes which manifest with different intensities in space and time. The remarkable
morphodynamic energy and favourability to erosion processes in the context of overgrazing exploitation and extreme
weather events are the main features of the analysed mountain area. On this background of high morphodynamic
potential, the geomorphological processes have a strong impact on existing tourist facilities from degradation to total
destruction. The morphodynamic potential is related to morphometrical data and meteorological parameters and a
GIS analysis is conducted in order to obtain the terrain susceptibility to geomorphological processes map. The
synthesis map of terrain susceptibility to geomorphological processes groups different areas within six classes of
susceptibility depending on the types and intensity of geomorphological processes (areas affected by
geomorphological processes, areas with very high susceptibility, areas with high susceptibility, areas with moderate
susceptibility, areas with low susceptibility, areas with very low susceptibility). The analysis of trail susceptibility to
damage due to geomorphological processes reveals a major percent of trail length that presents very high
susceptibility to damage (38.9%). Having in view the fact that the paths system from the Fagaras Mountains is
relatively old, the pretty high anthropic impact and the geomorphologic processes which affect it, it has to be
reconditioned, by following the principles of modern trail-building.
© 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of University of Bucharest , Faculty of
© 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of ICELEI 2011
Geography, Department of Regional Geography and Environment, Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies.
Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Romania
Keywords:geomorphological processes; morphodynamic potential; tourism; Sâmbata Valley; F

Corresponding author. Tel.: +0040723730782; fax: +0040213104551.

E-mail address: lauracomanescu@yahoo.com
The authors contributed equally to this work.

1878-0296 © 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of University of Bucharest , Faculty of Geography,
Department of Regional Geography and Environment, Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proenv.2012.03.025
258 Andra Cătălina Petre et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266

1. Introduction

Mountainous regions are among those in which erosion processes manifest as natural hazards and they
are frequent, especially when they affect man and his activities. Compared to the hazards which produce
in other mountainous areas (the Alps), geomorphologic and geological hazards are met here (rockfall and
avalanches), as well as extreme hydrological events (outrushes, debris flow) [1, 2].
There is a varied range of types of geomorphologic processes which affect the mountainous space in
general, and the alpine and subalpine space in particular, with different intensity and frequency, in these
conditions the maps of susceptibility and vulnerability being absolutely/ very useful in the territorial
planning (the designing of touristic paths and different other facilities). In the world specialized literature
there are numerous examples of such maps, done by using different methods (both traditional and based
on SIG), maps which refer either to a single type of geomorphologic processes, or to the totality of the
processes from the respective area).
The novelty of the article is not methodological, but it consists in the approach of the proportion
between present geomorphologic processes and their possibility of exercise/ display, on the one hand, and
the touristic infrastructure, on the other hand (firstly the paths). Such an approach was not accomplished
either in the Romanian literature, or in world literature. Usually, susceptibility or vulnerability are
presented separately from touristic activites.
Touristic activities are periodically affected by erosion processes and mass movements. The most
representative processes for this area are avalanches and rock falls.
Avalanches are also among the most important [3], as they destroyed a tourist hut here. The mapping
of the areas susceptible for avalanches was done according to the existent literature [4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].
Rock-fall also represent processes which affect with different intensity touristic paths, especially in
the alpine and sub-alpine space [10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15], their impact being difficult to assess.
Also, hydrological ones, outrushes, floods, may washout, transport and cause important damages, by
the erosive force and transported materials, as it is the case in other mountainous areas, too [16]. In the
present study, each of these are analysed at large.
The subject of this work is to present an example of analysis of susceptibility of the ground, at erosion
processes and rockfall movements, in one of the important hydrographical basins from the Fagaras
Mountains, where there are tourist activities. Susceptibility will be represented by areas where it has got
different intensities, as we aim to emphasize the way the paths from the analysed space are affected by the
processes mentioned above. From here it appears the practical utility of the study, the data obtained
imposing some practical measures regarding the system of paths from the
more than 50 years ago, and which are in different stages/ levels of degradation at present.
The necessity of reconsidering the marked trail system by adopting modern trail building methods is
imposed by the sustainable attribute of the responsible mountain tourism.

2. The study area the Sâmbata Valley

The study area lies in the central-southern part of Romania, in the middle of the Southern Carpathians
range. The Sâmbata Valley is located on the north-
Sâmbata catchment area, tributary of the Olt River (Fig. 1).
As a part of the
meso and katametamorphic rocks like paragneisses, micaschists, quartzites and philites and is
characterised by remarkable values of fragmentation depth that imposes an elevation range of 1770m
between
valley has a general south-north orientation and a parallel direction with the other valleys which drain the
 Andra Cătălina Petre et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266 259

transitional mixture of landforms that combines denudation forms as erosion surface fragments with those
composing the glacial complex with the largest opening on the northern slope [17].

Fig.1.

3. Methodology

Using GIS in applied geomorphology analyses gives the advantage of getting a new volume of data
that can be exploited in land use planning [18].
The relevance of results is increased by the methodology used represented by Geographic Information
Systems (GIS), in which we compiled a database of current materials, subject to complex analysis. The
basic tools used to implement these methods are the platform of ArcGIS Desktop (ESRI, Redlands, CA),
and GPS Garmin GPS Map 62.
The steps followed for mapping susceptibility were:
compiling a database structured according to the characteristics of materials: existing
cartographic documents topographic maps, year 1974, 1986; satellite and aerial images (2008); field
data from observations and GPS topographic survey; information and data summarised in specialised
literature; digital data storage by georeferencing and digitising operations; analysis and processing the
database by ArcMap operations based on the combination of different types of data; The data gathered in
the field envisaged the mapping and measuring of the forms of relief obtained as a result of the evolution
of present geomorphologic processes, their dynamic in time and space. Thus, several field campaigns
were done during the period 2006-2010, in different seasons.
obtaining primary digital maps;
complex analysis by classification and other summative methods to obtain complex maps.
The terrain susceptibility to geomorphological processes was analyzed on GIS method basis by
overlaying 5 layers to which there were assigned different importance ranks depending on their weight:
slope, land cover, soils, aspect and active geomorphological processes. The final map was obtained by
reclassification. The dataset corresponding to the final map was correlated with the hypsometric map by
260 Andra Cătălina Petre et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266

operating Zonal Tabulate function in order to obtain the altitudinal distribution of susceptibility classes
that shows a dominant share of the moderate susceptibility areas corresponding with forested moderate
gradient slopes susceptible to torrential erosion and surface landslides installation

4. Results

Among the morphometrical features of the area high slope values of 25-35° present a dominant share
of 34% (Fig. 2). In this category, prone to hydric erosion processes and avalanches, there are included the
median and lower slopes of the fluvial sector of the valley and the median and upper slopes of the glacial
valley.
The elevation map (Fig. 3) displays a dominant share of the median level of the slope, with altitudes
between 1000 and 1400 m (27%), followed by the upper 1400-1800 m (23%) and lower by 700-1000 m,
with equal share.

Fig. 2. Slopes map of the Sâmbata Valley Fig. 3. Elevation map of the Sâmbata Valley
 Andra Cătălina Petre et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266 261

Among the other parameters, fragmentation depth values reach a maximum of 870 m/km² between

in the glacial sector (>6 km/km²) where the slopes are fragmented by polygenetic gullies (gullying and
avalanches). The general configuration of the northern slope imposes the dominance of slopes with
northwest, north-east and north orientation, with repercussions in the erosion system.
The land cover consists mostly of broadleaf and coniferous forests, subalpine and alpine secondary
vegetation.
The most common processes, as revealed also by the geomorphological processes map (Fig. 4, 5) are
mass movement (rock falls and avalanches), gelifraction and rill and gully erosion. The forms resulting
from the joint action of hydric erosion and avalanches present a remarkable density both on the slopes of
the glacial valley and the upper slopes of the fluvial sector. The sediment resulted is deposited in the river
bed as relatively large debris cones (Fig. 6, 7) incised by rills and gullies.

Fig. 4. Blockfields incised by rills in Caldarea Mare cirque (2007)

The six cirques that together with the glacial valley compose the widest glacial complex (4 km) on the
northern slope of the massif are characterised by intense cryo-nivation processes that generated the

cones partially reactivated by rill and sheet erosion (Fig. 6, 7) were formed at the contact of these with the
cirques floor.
In the past 20 years, in the context of increasing frequency of extreme weather events, the Sâmbata
Valley was the space for the expression of natural hazards with devastating impact on tourist facilities. In
1996, following abundant snow falls, an avalanche formed on the eastern slope of the valley shattered the
Mountain Rescue Cabin located at 100 m upstream of Valea Sâmbetei Cabin which was entirely covered
by the avalanche cone (Fig. 8). The valley was also the scene of the exceptional torrential flood of August
27, 2007, a result of torrential rains that have fallen in quantities of 150 L/m² in the night between 26 and
27 August.
The damage resulting from this hydro-geomorphological event, reported on August 27 included the
destruction of the forest road (Fig. 9), blocking the road on two kilometers with timber transported by the
river (Fig. 10), the destruction of two thirds of the tourist trail, the total destruction of filtering dams and 7
bridges, the deterioration of the forest road linking the villages, the damage of 12 cars parked in front of
tourist establishments, the destruction of the trout farm, total impairment of two lines of medium voltage

The destructive flood was boosted considerably by the massive transport of floating timber, specially
uprooted trees, wood and rock fragments of different sizes.
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The floating timber collected all over the catchment area was accumulated in the weak points of the
channel (elbows of riverbed, bottlenecks, bridges, filtering dams). Of these, the most impacted by the
accumulation of floating timber were the filtering dams.

Fig. 5. The geomorphological processes map of Sâmbata Valley

 Andra Cătălina Petre et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266 263

Fig. 6. Debris cone of Doamnei stream. Fig. 7. Blo

Fig. 8. Sâmbata Valley Cabin affected by the avalanche debris cone in 1996 (www.alpinet.org)

5. Discussion

The final map of terrain susceptibility to geomorphological processes (Fig. 11) groups different areas
within six classes of susceptibility, with intermediate subclasses, depending on the types of
geomorphological processes to which are prone:
a) areas affected by geomorphological processes - areas occupied by torrential streams, active sheet
erosion, avalanches and torrential tracks;
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Fig. 9. The forest road along the Sâmbata river destructed Fig. 10. Timber accumulations by the flood blocking the road
(August 27, 2007) along the Sâmbata river (August 27, 2007)

b) areas with very high susceptibility to geomorphological processes - steep slopes of glacial cirques
without vegetation susceptible to weathering, gravitational movements and avalanches, moderate slopes
with grass or discontinuous vegetation susceptible to torrential erosion and avalanches, steep slopes with
subalpine vegetation prone to avalanches and ravine erosion, steep slopes of cirques and glacial valleys
with grass vegetation susceptible to avalanches, hydric erosion and meteorisation and steep slopes of
glacial cirques without vegetation susceptible to gravitational movements, avalanches and hydric erosion;
c) areas with high susceptibility to geomorphological processes - moderate slopes with discontinuous
subalpine vegetation and favorable orientation to hydric erosion, moderate slopes with subalpine
vegetation susceptible to avalanches and torrential erosion;
d) areas with moderate susceptibility to geomorphological processes - steep cliffs situated on wooded
slopes (Piatra Caprei) susceptible to meteorisation, forested moderate slopes with high degree of moisture
prone to ravine and torrential erosion, forested steep slopes with high degree of moisture prone to
landslides and rapid soilfluctions;
e) areas with low susceptibility to geomorphological processes - areas with subalpine vegetation, low
gradient, favourable topoclimate for soilfluction, forested slopes with moderate gradient and favorable
orientation for torrential erosion, forested steep slopes with high degree of moisture susceptible to
landslides and rapid soilfluctions;
f) areas with very low susceptibility to geomorphological processes - forested fragments of erosion
surfaces, floors of cirques and glacial valleys flat or very slightly inclined, with very low susceptibility.
The map reveals the predominance over 1800 m of areas with very high susceptibility to processes
like rock fall related to gelivation, avalanches, rill, gully and sheet erosion. The forest level terrain present
medium to very low susceptibility to processes like gullying, translational debris landsliding and
overflowing.
The high alpine sector is dominated by areas with high and very high susceptibility to
geomorphological processes such as gelifraction, gravitational movements, nivation (avalanches) and
gullying (Table 1).
The marked trail system in the -1970 period following the old

incorrect techniques of construction, lack of monitoring and restoration measures and a general lack of
interest of the responsible authorities.
 Andra Cătălina Petre et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266 265

Table 1. The percentage of different classes of susceptibility in the total length of marked trails (Sâmbata Valley)

The classes of susceptibility Percentage (%)

Sectors impacted by active geomorphological processes 9.50
Sectors with very high susceptibility 38.9
Sectors with high susceptibility 11.5
Sectors with moderate susceptibility 24.3
Sectors with low susceptibility 8.50
Sectors with very low susceptibility 7.30

Fig. 11. The terrain susceptibility to geomorphological processes map (the Sâmbata Valley)
266 Andra Cătălina Petre et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 14 (2012) 257 – 266

Steep trail slopes, steep side slopes and trail alignments in which the trail directly ascends trails all
tend to be more degraded, usually because more water is channeled, with higher force, down the trail
tread. Trail problems are also common where soils are fine-textured, stone-free and homogeneous, or
highly organic and where soils are poorly drained or have high water tables. Trails also tend to widen
where the ground surface is wet or rough [19].

Acknowledgements

The results in this article are part of the following research projects:
PN II/Idei financed by National Universitary Research Council: Inventoring, Evaluation and
Mapping of Geomorphosites. Case studies: the Dobrodjea plateau and the Southern Carpathians,
principal investigator .
PN II/Idei financed by National Universitary Research Council: Evaluation and Monitoring of
Avalanche Risk in the Context of Mountain Environment Organising and Planning. Case Study
Fagaras and Piatra Craiului Mountains, principal investigator Alexandru Nedelea.
Strategic grant POSDRU /89/1.5/S/58852, Project Program for postdoctoral researchers in science
education, co-financed by the European Social Fund within the Sectoral Operational Program Human
2007

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