Geomorphologic Capabilities and Limitations of Development of Ilam City

Currently, most cities of Iran face geomorphologic constraints on their physical development. Ilam city has a mountainous plane surrounded by highlands. This is assumed to have caused problems and has stopped the physical development of the city. The aim of this research is to study the capabilities and limitations of the geomorphologic development of the city of Ilam. Furthermore, this study attempts to investigate the possible physical risks which have stopped the physical and geomorphologic development of the town. The research methods applied are descriptive- analytic method, library research, field study assisted by GIS and AHP using the EXPERT CHOIEC software which helped to produce and analysis the direction of development of the zoning map of the city of Ilam. The results shows that site selection of Ilam city in the past was not based of geomorphologic, geological and environmental factors which led to geomorphologic limitation such as slop, hillside process and fluvial, subsidence, erosion which in turn these factors led to the increase of cost and the possibility of natural hazards. Except for the land located in Northwest of Ilam city other directions are hazardous which might cause problems due to the increase of slope, location adytum fluvial and mass movement. These factors have appeared to be limiting the development of Ilam city.