Multi-scale approach to analyse the evolution of soft rock coastal cliffs and role of controlling factors: a case study in South-Eastern Italy

Abstract

The evolution of soft rock coastlines is strictly related to natural and anthropogenic conditions, which in some cases can determine also an acceleration of coastal retreat. The recent evolution of a soft rocky coastal stretch on the Italian southern Adriatic sector is analysed. To investigate the most important contributing factors to coastal evolution, a detailed multi-temporal (1954-2017) morphological analysis with photo-interpretation is carried out, which allows gaining a general understanding of the cliff evolution. The coastal retreat was then evaluated by exploiting the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) tool. From that, site-specific analyses are carried out to explore the role of four environmental factors: rock mechanical properties, geostructural setup of the rock mass along the coast, emerged rock platform at the toe, and the storm waves. Analyses highlighted how the most significant retreat is detected along cliff segments characterized by the presence of low strength rocks susceptible to waterinduced weakening, moderate fracturing degree of the rock mass, absence of the emerged platform at the toe, and wave storms. This work shows how a multi-scale methodology could represent an efficient approach to gain an interpretation of the instability processes and thus prepare risk mitigation plans and land management strategies.

Quantitative Characterization of Coastal Cliff Retreat and Landslide Processes at Portonovo–Trave Cliffs (Conero, Ancona, Italy) Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data

“…In the close locality of Torre la Punta (1 km far from Punta Caleo), a retreat rate of 0.8 m/yr was assessed, showing how the rate of erosion can suddenly vary in the same coastal areas [8]. Regarding other cases in the Adriatic Sea, in Torre dell'Orso (Apulia region), the rate of erosion (in fine limestones) was found to be between 0.08 m/yr and 0.12 m/yr [71,86], while in the Abruzzo region (on the Pleistocene clay-sand-sandstone-conglomerate marine sequence), the retreat rate ranged between 0.15 m/yr and 1 m/yr [87]. In the area between Gabicce and Pesaro, a few kilometers northward of our case study (characterized by similar lithologies), a mean retreat rate of 0.16 m/yr was calculated in the last 6000 year [88].…”

“…Although the DSAS tool was created to analyze the shoreline movements, its use in cliff-retreat studies is widely documented in the literature [69][70][71][72].…”

The Imprint of Recent Meteorological Events on Boulder Deposits along the Mediterranean Rocky Coasts

“…Main Objective Exclusion Cause Dominey-Howes et al (2000) [98] process identification CBDs produced by tsunami [99] vulnerability study No CBD dynamics data are reported Andriani and Walsh (2007) [100] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Scicchitano et al (2010) [101] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Furlani et al (2011) [102] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Paris et al (2011) [2] review preface No CBD dynamics data are reported Mastronuzzi and Pignatelli (2012) [103] process identification CBDs produced by tsunami Katz and Mushkin (2013) [104] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Mottershead et al (2015) [105] process identification CBDs produced by tsunami Shah-Hosseini et al ( 2016) [106] hazards study No CBD dynamics data are reported Amores et al (2020) [107] storm simulation No CBD dynamics data are reported Ruban (2020) [3] virtual perspective No CBD dynamics data are reported Ferrando et al (2021) [108] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Fortelli et al (2021) [109] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Lollino et al (2021) [110] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported…”

The Imprint of Recent Meteorological Events on Boulder Deposits along the Mediterranean Rocky Coasts

“…Main Objective Exclusion Cause Dominey-Howes et al (2000) [98] process identification CBDs produced by tsunami [99] vulnerability study No CBD dynamics data are reported Andriani and Walsh (2007) [100] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Scicchitano et al (2010) [101] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Furlani et al (2011) [102] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Paris et al (2011) [2] review preface No CBD dynamics data are reported Mastronuzzi and Pignatelli (2012) [103] process identification CBDs produced by tsunami Katz and Mushkin (2013) [104] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Mottershead et al (2015) [105] process identification CBDs produced by tsunami Shah-Hosseini et al ( 2016) [106] hazards study No CBD dynamics data are reported Amores et al (2020) [107] storm simulation No CBD dynamics data are reported Ruban (2020) [3] virtual perspective No CBD dynamics data are reported Ferrando et al (2021) [108] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Fortelli et al (2021) [109] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported Lollino et al (2021) [110] process identification No CBD dynamics data are reported…”