Geomorphological assessment of the spatial suitability of transportation routes in Fallujah District

Abstract

Transportation roads are the arteries of life and contribute to the sustainability of all human activities. Therefore, this research deals with the geomorphological assessment of the spatial suitability of transportation routes in the Fallujah district, which represents the link between the capital, Baghdad, and the western regions to the Jordanian border. Its elevation ranges between (36-91) meters. The altitude category (36-48.9) constitutes the largest part of the study area with an area of ​​(411) km2, and the area of ​​roads on it is about (65.7) km2, and it is considered the largest altitude category extending over it. There are also two types of soil in the study area: the soil of the alluvial plain, which reached Its area is about (419) km2 (34.7%), and the gypsum desert soil is (788) km2 (65.3%). The area of ​​transportation roads on alluvial plain soil is (72.3) km2, while the desert soil is (29.8) km2. As for the topographic situation, the most suitable land group is the alluvial plain unit, which occupied an area of ​​(553) km2, at a rate of (45.8)% of the total area. The study also concluded, after presenting the geomorphological assessment of the study area, that it paid attention to roads by improving the quality of construction and matching them with the geomorphological units. It demonstrated its economic feasibility and the extent of its impact on road design. Emphasis was also placed on the necessity of continuous maintenance by carrying out continuous periodic maintenance operations.