Avalanche risk zonation based on geomorphological characteristics in Haraz road

Avalanche is one of the phenomena of snow pack areas which if not behaved in a scientific manner, may lead to several dangers and irreparable problems. This phenomenon cause severe damages in transportation roads of mountainous regions, promenades and minefields. Performing more specific review and adopting proper management, the avalanche not only can be predicted, but also its severe damages can be prevented. Moreover, recent incidents of avalanche fall which unfortunately have caused corporal and property damages increase the need to knowing the avalanche and its procedure as an updated science and its consequences.Haraz mountainous road is one of the transportation roads in North of Iran which because of specific geomorphologic conditions in some parts of it has made a suitable background for the avalanche to happen. In this study, the avalanche risk map has been created by interpreting of air and satellite images and with the help of topography and geology maps and Surveyor field in the region. In the next step, geomorphologic and climate elements affecting on avalanche were weighted in the format of Boolean and AHP models considering their level of impact and after combining these layers with each other in both models, avalanche risk zoning maps has been drew. Then the results of each Boolean and AHP models were compared to the avalanche frequent region maps which were created during the surveys in the region and expert experience by using GPS, and considering the overlaps between them, it was revealed that avalanche risk zoning maps of Haraz road created by the AHP model, have more coincidence with maps created by surveyor field in the region and expert experience than zoning maps created by Boolean model.Therefore it is suggested in the regions with climate and topographic characteristics similar to Haraz road, one should use AHP model in order to zoning the avalanche risk.