Regional IAG/AIG Conference on Geomorphology: Landslides, Floods and Global Changes in Mountain Regions September 15-26 2008, Brasov,

Romania

GEOMORPHOLOGICAL HAZARD AFFECTING THE MEDIEVAL CITADEL OF SIGHISOARA (ROMANIA)

Cristian Marunteanu , Mihai Mafteiu , Victor Niculescu
1

University of Bucharest, 020956, Romania (e-mail: cristian@gg.unibuc.ro) 2. GEOMORPHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

The geological background is constituted of Pannonian sedimentary deposits, represented by quasi-horizontal clays, marly clays and clayey sands alternating with fine to coarse sands. These deposits are covered with Quaternary deluvial formations and anthropogenic deposits, up to 9 m thickness. Morphologically, the Fortress Hill is a witness of Tarnava Mare river erosion. The maximum level of the hill is of 432 m, with a relative height of 80 - 85 m. The physical-geological phenomena that affect the medieval fortress hill occur as shallow slides (lower right figure) and erosion gullies.

1. INTRODUCTION
Sighisoara is located in the southeastern part of the Tarnava plateau, belonging to the Transylvania basin. The medieval complex has been built on the Citadel Hill in more stages between the 12th and the 17th century. The th fortified area and the ecclesiastic buildings from the 13-15 century and the buildings from the 15-17th century are still well preserved: the Clock Tower, the Furriers' Tower, the Butchers' Tower and Bastion, the Ropemakers' Tower, the Tinsmiths' Tower and Bastion, the Leather Dresser Tower, the Church from the Hill, the Monastery Church, the Vlad Dracul House, etc. Some of them have been affected in the last years by instability phenomena, for instance the fortified walls, the Tinsmiths' Tower and Casa th Wagner, a building from the 17 century. Contemporary pictures of the areas are shown below (left and upper right figures).

Citadel Square
Basement ceiling Fissures in walls Old sewer pipes (-1.3 m) New sewer pipes (-3.3 m) Sewer VES locations (w20-w1) Isoohms Geotechnical limit filling/deluvium Lithological limit deluvium/Pannonian Lithological limit inside Pannonian High humidity zone

Interpretative geoelectrical cross sections along the Casa Wagner building and yard a) 2002; b) 2005

Contemporary picture of Casa Wagner

Fissures in the Tinsmiths Tower

Fortified wall affected by landslide

Instability phenomena on the slopes of the Citadel Hill Interpretative geoelectrical section Casa Wagner main facade

3. LANDSLIDE RISK ASSESSMENT

In the covering deposits, the accumulations of the water provided by the rainfall storages, the leakage from the supply and sewerage pipes or from cesspool exfiltration and by the irrigation of the gardens produce an important reduction of the shear resistance of the soils and of the filling determining the slope instability. Taking into consideration the geological, geomorphological, hydrogeological and climatic background and the identifiable human induced factors as main conditions that cause landsliding, some elements of the landslide risk can be assessed: - The Fortress Hill is not affected by large and deep landslides that could endanger the general stability of the citadel; - The landslides (active or semi-stabilized) have the depth of 2-4 m and the width of 85-120 m and affect only the covering deposits (deluvial or filling); - The induced increasing of the humidity is considered the main cause of the instability phenomena;

4. RESULTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

As a result of the geological and geoelectrical investigations (central figures) some mitigation measures have been proposed and taken in the view to decrease the risk of degradation or even destruction of this historical site of Sighisoara: - Rehabilitation or repair of the supply and sewerage pipes and cesspools; - Consolidation of the towers and impermeability works of the pavements around; - Rehabilitation of the medieval walls in the zone affected by landslides and stabilization by retaining walls and counterforts. - Consolidation of the basement by under building of the vaults at a lower level than the initial level and reinforcing of the new foundation by concrete beams; - Draining of the basement by gravel trenches.

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