UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy affected by geological problems, specifically landslide and flood hazard

Lollino, Giorgio; Audisio, Chiara

doi:10.1007/s10346-006-0059-7

Cited by 37 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…A complete analysis involves geotechnical, structural and engineering issues and can lead to design adequate countermeasures. In Italy, ancient buildings, archaeological sites and even entire historic towns are frequently threatened by slope instability phenomena (Canuti et al 2000;Fanti 2005;Lollino and Audisio 2006). In Tuscany, Umbria and Latium (Central Italy), where geological and geomorphological backgrounds determined the formation of hilltop-sites occupied since Etruscan time, well-known dynamics of instability characterize these places.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial laser scanning for rockfall stability analysis in the cultural heritage site of Pitigliano (Italy)

et al. 2012

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Traditional surveying methods are often not sufficient to achieve a complete geomechanical characterization of the rock mass, to analyze the instability mechanisms threatening the cultural heritage of hilltop historic towns. In Pitigliano (Tuscany, Central Italy), terrestrial laser scanning was employed complementarily to conventional geomechanical techniques. The overall 3D survey of the exposed surfaces was combined with scanlines of the inner walls of the subterranean cavities running underneath the historic centre. The rock mass discontinuities geometry was extracted, and the most critical instability mechanisms were mapped, with particular interest in the potential impacts on the ancient buildings located along the cliff edge. The geomechanical analysis of the surveyed joint sets confirmed a structural control on the cliff morphology by two main joint sets. Thanks to the laser scanner-based kinematic analysis, flexural toppling and wedge failure were found as the main hazardous instability mechanisms in Pitigliano. Finally, the conservation criticalities were identified and a pilot monitoring system was installed in a sector highly susceptible to block detachment.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial laser scanning for rockfall stability analysis in the cultural heritage site of Pitigliano (Italy)

et al. 2012

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“…The varied approaches to the problem of landslides and cultural heritage reflect the complexity of this theme , which leads to very different views on this interaction, from the extremes of cultural history to advanced susceptibility analysis (Lollino and Audisio 2006), modern monitoring techniques (Canuti et al 2005;Sassa et al 2005;Fanti 2006) and almost pure landslide mechanics (Coppola et al 2006;D'Amato Avanzi et al 2006). In fact, owing to their intrinsic geomorphological and lithological features, many important geoheritage sites such as Pietra di Bismantova or, for example, the Italian Dolomites (Panizza 2009;Panizza and Piacente 2009), are often characterised by a conflict between safe access and hazards.…”

Section: Site Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Slope Instability Processes Affecting the Pietra Di Bismantova Geosite (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Borgatti

Tosatti

2010

Geoheritage

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The Pietra di Bismantova, a vast biocalcarenite slab, is an impressive landmark and a unique feature in the gentle hilly landscape of the Reggio Emilia Apennines, Italy. It consists of a stratified calcareous rock type, rich in molluscs and other fossilised remains typical of a tropical climate. The site also has significant historical and cultural interests, including remains from Bronze Age and early Iron Age settlements. The perpendicular rock faces of the Pietra di Bismantova have for many years attracted rock climbers and hikers. Furthermore, the sheer calcareous walls are favoured sites for endemic plants and nesting of rare birds. Since the end of the last glaciation, the site has been subject to intense degradational processes affecting the rock slopes. Today, these pose serious problems for its conservation and the safety of visitors. The southern part is mainly affected by occasional rockfalls of varying magnitude. In contrast, the north-eastern part is much more jointed and dismembered and is subdivided into several loose blocks subject to slope movements with a complex style of activity. The results of a geomechanical and geomorphological survey are used to identify the area most prone to geomorphological hazards, particularly rockfalls. They show that the areas potentially most subject to landslides are the SE, NE and NW faces, where the rock parameters are poorest and degradational processes are particularly intense. Numerical modelling of rockfall phenomena indicates that the hazards are particularly high along the SE and W faces, where footpaths and climbing tracks are also located. Remedial measures should be introduced in these critical areas to stabilise the cliff and guarantee safe access for the numerous visitors to this geosite.

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“…In the first study the landslide inventory and landslide susceptibility map were confronted with the location of archaeological sites in the study area. This approach is similar to the one used by Lollino and Audisio (2006) to ascertain the risk of landsliding to cultural heritage included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in Italy. For our study in the Flemish Ardennes, the archaeological data are taken from the Central Archaeological Inventory (Meylemans 2004; Van Daele et al.…”

Section: How Does Landslide Susceptibility Affect Human Activities?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Human–environment interactions in residential areas susceptible to landsliding: the Flemish Ardennes case study

Eeckhaut

Poesen²,

Vandekerckhove

et al. 2010

Area

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Studies on landslide susceptibility and landslide risk generally start from the assumption that mainly natural factors control the occurrence of landslides. The role of human activity is considered less important. We investigated the role of human-environment interactions in the Flemish Ardennes, Flanders' most landslide-susceptible region. The establishment of a detailed landslide inventory brought insight into the spatial occurrence of landslides and into the different landslide types and characteristics. A statistical model, i.e. logistic regression, allowed the significance of environmental factors controlling landslide occurrence to be determined, and a landslide susceptibility map to be produced. Being a residential area, however, the Flemish Ardennes is a region where humans play an active role with regard to landslide risk. Although the location of many archaeological sites in this area is known, almost no archaeological sites are found on landslide-susceptible hillslopes. This might indicate that in prehistorical and historical times humans were more familiar with local environmental characteristics and avoided unstable hillslopes. Comparison of topographic maps , on the contrary, indicate that over the last 250 years buildings and other infrastructures have been constructed on old landslides. Given that humans are living, working and driving on or close to unstable hillslopes, the landslide risk has therefore increased. The landslide inventory map and the landslide susceptibility map are important tools for landslide risk reduction. Here 'science meets policy' , as both maps allow linking construction norms and other mitigation measures to hillslopes already affected by landslides and to susceptibility classes with very high, high and moderate landslide susceptibility.

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UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy affected by geological problems, specifically landslide and flood hazard

Cited by 37 publications

References 7 publications

Terrestrial laser scanning for rockfall stability analysis in the cultural heritage site of Pitigliano (Italy)

Terrestrial laser scanning for rockfall stability analysis in the cultural heritage site of Pitigliano (Italy)

Slope Instability Processes Affecting the Pietra Di Bismantova Geosite (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Human–environment interactions in residential areas susceptible to landsliding: the Flemish Ardennes case study

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