Slope susceptibility to landslides in the Târnava Mare corridor, between Medias and Blaj (Romania)

Slope susceptibility to landslides in the Târnava Mare corridor, between Mediaş and Blaj. A number of qualitative and quantitative models and methods are available for computing landslide-hazard and susceptibility maps. Landslide susceptibility zoning involves a degree of interpretation. The landslide susceptibility assessment is necessary to prevent terrain degradation and the evaluation of landslide susceptibility requires understanding the factors that influence slope instability. Even though landslides are mainly associated with mountain areas, they can also develop at lower altitude areas, such is our case where they are caused by direct anthropogenic intervention (through slope excavation, deforestation, improvised roads, etc.). The susceptibility maps that resulted from this study express the terrain conditions and have practical use for identifying the landslide areas within the corridor. The spatial distribution and rating of the terrain units according to the propensity to produce landslides is dependent on the topography, geology, geotechnical properties, climate, vegetation and anthropic factors such as development and intensive deforestation