Favourable and Restrictive Geographical Factors in the Development of Zalău Municipality

Andreea Maria VÂTCĂ1, Georgiana BOSIOC1
1 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Geography, Cluj-Napoca, ROMANIA
E-mail: schatzi2pop@yahoo.com, bosioc.georgiana@yahoo.com
Pages: 161-169

Abstract. The natural background is one of the main conditions for urban development. In this context, the present study analysed the way in which the relief influenced the Zalău city’s spatial development in time. Geomorphological restrictiveness was determined by relief fragmentation, slope and aspect, forming together a territorial model of evolution. In addition to the geomorphological characteristics of the area, other factors that contributed to the development of this settlement were the climate, the hydrographical network, the vegetation, the soil and the historical-geographical factors. A semi-quantitative model, described by the Romanian Governmental Decision 447/2003, was applied, enabling the calculation of the average landslide hazard coefficient and the generation of its corresponding map that made possible the identification of potential future landslide areas. The study area generally had a low (0.01-0.10) and average (0.11-0.26) landslide susceptibility. A series of cartographical materials were also analysed, including shooting master plans from 1939, topographic maps from 1970 and orthophotographs from 2005, which were used to identify the evolution of the built-up area. Its spatial growth mainly took place towards the north-east, directly influenced by the population growth and the favourable geomorphological factors (slope angle smaller than 5° and altitude values below 250 m). These results were based on geomorphological mapping and GIS analysis and had a high practical importance in the study of urban evolution. 

K e y w o r d s: geomorphological processes, restrictiveness, geomorphological favourability, territorial development, susceptibility