Methodological Approach for Classifying the Severity of Natural Risks on Paved Roads: The Case of Northeastern Morocco

Abstract

Natural hazards are classified according to their severity based on their impact on various human activities (economic, infrastructure, development, etc.…). A natural event only becomes a threat when associated with "Mortgages" measurable in terms of damages, whether material or human losses. Among the natural phenomena of interest in northeastern Morocco, natural hazards threatening paved roads are notable. The natural and human characteristics of the area, as well as the potential interactions among them in terms of exploitation, adaptation, and mobility, are the fundamental drivers of these natural hazards. Consequently, after being field surveyed in a previous phase, an attempt has been made to systematically employ these interconnected character-is tics to assess the natural risk level for each point threatened in northeastern Morocco. This methodology aims to facilitate classifying threatened areas regarding natural risk, guiding interventions based on priority and the criteria set for the planned approach. When implementing protective measures for these areas, protection is tailored to the level of risk threatening the region and the hydrogeomorphological characteristics of the environment.