The Ughedzor Landslide District (Armenia) and a Problem of Running of the Strategic Motorway

Abstract

In the eastern part of the Vayots Dzor region (Armenia), in the Darb River basin (left tributary of the Arpa River), in the area between the villages of Saravan and Ughedzor, active landslides constantly damage the roadbed of the strategic highway connecting Yerevan with the south of the country. Active landslides cover both banks of the Darb River valley, therefore, as an alternative to the existing strategic road, it is proposed to bypass the entire landslide area from the north along the Jermuk highway to the Kechut reservoir and then follow the existing country road to the Vorotan River and along its left bank (a lava plateau with an existing road operated by the miners of the Amulsar field) near the village of Goraiq to connect with the strategic Yerevan-Goris road.