Daniele Spizzichino

Landslide Susceptibility Mapping at National Scale: The Italian Case Study

Landslide susceptibility maps are key tools for land use planning, management and risk mitigation. The Landslide susceptibility map of Italy, scale 1:1,000,000 is being realized by using the Italian Landslide Inventory – Progetto IFFI and a set of contributing factors, such as surface parameters derived from 20 to20 m DEM, lithological map obtained from the geological map of Italy 1:500,000, and land use map (Corine Land Cover 2000). These databases have been subjected to a quality analysis with the aim of assessing the completeness, homogeneity and reliability of data, and identifying representative areas which may be used as training and test areas for the implementation of landslide susceptibility models. In order to implement the models, physiographic domains of homogeneous geology and geomorphology have been identified, and landslides have been divided into three main classes in order to take into account specific sets of conditioning factors: (a) rockfalls and rock-avalanches; (b) slow mass movements, (c) debris flows. The modelling tests performed with different techniques (Discriminant Anaysis, Logistic Regression, Bayesian Tree Random Forest) provided good results, once applied with the appropriate selection of training and validations sets and with a significant number of statistical units.

Landslide hazard, monitoring and conservation strategy for the safeguard of Vardzia Byzantine monastery complex, Georgia

This paper reports preliminary results of a feasibility project developed in cooperation with National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia, and aimed at envisaging the stability conditions of the Vardzia monastery slope (rupestrian city cave in the south-western Georgia). The aim is the implementation of a low-impact monitoring system together with long-term mitigation/conservation policies. A field analysis was conducted to reconstruct geometry of the rocky cliff, characteristics of discontinuities, main failure modes, and volume of potential unstable blocks and geomechanical parameters. Instability processes are the combination of causative factors such as the following: lithology, frequency and orientation of discontinuities, slope orientation, physical and mechanical characteristics of slope-forming materials, and morphological and hydrological boundary conditions. The combined adoption of different survey techniques (e.g., 3D laser scanner, ground-based radar interferometry) could be the best solution in the interdisciplinary field of cultural heritage preservation policies. The collected data will be the basis for future activities to be completed in collaboration with local authorities for a complete hazard and risk characterization for the monastery site and the development of an early warning system to allow safe exploitation for touristic activities and for historical site preservation.

Implementation of advanced monitoring System Network in the Siq of Petra (Jordan)

The paper summarizes field survey results and analysis in the framework of a UNESCO project (Siq Stability Project) for the implementation of remote and field integrated monitoring systems aimed at the detection and control of active deformation of the Siq slopes (Petra, Jordan). Petra is located on the eastern side of the Dead Sea-Wadi Araba tectonic depression, in SW Jordan. The Siq is a 1.2 km long natural deep gorge in the sandstone mountains that connects the urban area of Wadi Musa with the monumental area of Petra. Since Nabataean times, the Siq is the main narrow entrance for some thousands tourists that access the archaeological area every day. Discontinuities of various type (bedding, joints, faults), mainly related to stratigraphic setting, tectonic activity and geomorphological evolution of the slope can be recognized. Rock-fall potential activity can be catastrophic according to evolution of the movement (extremely rapid) and involved rock mass volumes. Slope instability, acceleration of crack deformation and consequent increasing of rock-fall hazard conditions could threaten the safety of people walking through the Siq.

Rock-Fall Hazard Assessment in the Siq of Petra, Jordan

Rapid onset natural phenomena, such as earthquakes, floods and landslides, pose a major threat to cultural heritage and visitors in Petra The paper reports first results of a feasibility project, in cooperation with UNESCO and PNT, aimed at envisaging the stability conditions of the slope-forming rocks of the Siq that is the spectacular entrance for tourists to the monumental area of Petra. A field analysis was conducted to reconstruct, although preliminarily, the characteristics and orientation of discontinuities, main failure modes of potential unstable blocks, magnitude of phenomena, geomechanical parameters of materials. A first rock-fall hazard assessment has been defined and some potential monitoring techniques have been analyzed. Results will be used for the implementation of a forthcoming project addressed to landslide risk analysis of the Siq, as fundamental management tool of a master plan for sustainable tourist exploitation of the site.

Landslide Impacts in Europe: Weaknesses and Strengths of Databases Available at European and National Scale

Landslides represent a major threat to human life, property, buildings, infrastructure and natural environments in most mountainous and hilly regions of the world. The purpose of this work is to present the results of the analysis carried out by ISPRA on main landslide events and available databases in Europe. The major landslide phenomena occurred in Europe have been collected from the analysis of global disaster databases. For the period 2003–2010, 112 major landslides were recorded. These events, which often occurred at multiple sites for the same triggering factor, claimed a total of 152 fatalities and damaged or destroyed several buildings and transportation infrastructure.

Cultural Heritage, Landslide Risk and Remote Sensing in Italy

Italy is the country that owns most of the world cultural heritage and is affected by a very large number of landslides widespread throughout its territory. Aim of the work is to define a methodology, developed on GIS platform, in order to assess cultural heritage exposed to very slow and extremely slow mass movements using: SAR data, the Italian Cultural Heritage database and the Italian Landslide Inventory. The methodology has been developed at provincial level and tested on Macerata province. A single building approach has been also performed on six cultural heritage. The proposed methodology could be applied to all cultural heritage sites in Italy to identify priorities and plan field surveys, detailed studies and monitoring systems.

Monitoring, Geomorphological Evolution and Slope Stability of Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu: Results from Italian INTERFRASI project

The Geology of Machu Picchu area is characterised by granitoid bodies that had been emplaced in the axial zones of the main rift system. Deformation of the granite, caused by cooling and tectonic phases, originated 4 main joint sets, regularly spaced (few decimetres to metres). Several slope instability phenomena have been identified and classified according to mechanism, material involved and state of activity. They are mainly related to rock falls, debris flows, rock slides and debris slides. Origin of phenomena is kinematically controlled by the structural setting and relationship with slope face (rock falls, rock slide and debris slides); the accumulated materials is the source for debris flow. Geomorphological evidences of deeper deformations are currently under investigation.

Multi-Temporal and Quantitative Geomorphological Analysis on the Large Landslide of Craco Village (M118)

The village of Craco (Basilicata, Italy), is being affected by severe landslide phenomena mainly due to the geological and geomorphological setting of the area. The village has been interested by a progressive abandon of the population after the occurrence in the time of landslides and earthquakes that caused the disruption of large portions of the urban settlement. Several landslide typologies can be recognized in the area: rock-falls in the upper part of the hill, rotational and translational earth slides, earth-flows, rock lateral spreading. The main purpose of the paper is to reconstruct the evolution of the geological and morphological dynamics acting on the southern slope of Craco, where the largest landslides occurred in the past.

The protection of cultural heritage sites from geo-hazards: The PROTHEGO project

Examining natural hazards responsible for cultural heritage damages all over Europe, especially over large or remote areas is extremely difficult, expensive and time consuming. There is a need identify and respond to natural hazards before they create irreparable damage to cultural heritage sites. The PROTHEGO project uses radar interferometry to monitor surface deformation with mm precision to analyze the impact of geo-hazards in cultural heritage sites in Europe. The project applies novel InSAR techniques to monitor monuments and sites that are potentially unstable due to landslides, sinkholes, settlement, subsidence, active tectonics as well as structural deformation, all of which could be affected of climate change and human interaction. To magnify the impact of the project, the approach will be implemented in more than 400 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List (WHL) in geographical Europe. After the remote sensing investigation, detailed geological interpretation, hazard analysis, local-scale monitoring, advanced modelling and field surveying for the most critical sites will be carried out to discover the cause and extent of the observed motions. PROTHEGO (PROTection of European Cultural HEritage from GeO-hazards) is a collaborative research project funded in the framework of the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPICH) – Heritage Plus in 2015–2018.

Rock Slope Potential Failures in the Siq of Petra (Jordan)

The Siq is a 1.2 km naturally formed gorge that represents the main entrance to Petra (Jordan). Discontinuities of various type (bedding, joints, faults), mainly related to stratigraphic setting, tectonic activity and geomorphological evolution of the slope can be recognized. Structural condition determines a rock-fall potential activity that may involve unstable volumes, from 0.1 m3 up to over some hundreds m3. The latter can be catastrophic according to evolution of the movement (extremely rapid) and involved rock mass volumes. Slope instability, acceleration of crack deformation and consequent increasing of rock-fall hazard conditions could threaten the safety of people walking through the Siq. UNESCO, ISPRA and Jordan local authorities have implemented a project focused on landslide hazard assessment and risk mitigation strategies as a first step for the long-term conservation of the Siq. The paper reports preliminary data on landslide inventory, geomechanical properties of materials and assessment of landslide kinematics that affect the Siq of Petra.