Filomena Canora

La Piccola Età Glaciale nell'area di Taranto (Puglia, Italia)

Little Ice Age in the Taranto Area (Apulia, Southern Italy).The present study focuses on the key role that the interactions between sea level changes and standing and hydrogeological mechanisms played on the evolution of the interconnected dynamics of the actual geomorphological and hydrogeological system of the Taranto area, from the Quaternary to nowadays. Moreover the retrieval of historical maps and files allowed us to recognize clear tracks of the Little Ice Age in the area of interest.

Quantitative assessment of the sensitivity to desertification in the Bradano River basin (Basilicata, southern Italy)

Desertification is a complex environmental phenomenon that affects many regions worldwide, including the Mediterranean area. Its effects, primarily resulting from climate variations and also influenced by human-induced changes, impact upon potential regional progress due to significant economic losses, social problems and ecological damage. The aim of this study was the identification of sensitive areas to desertification at watershed scale, in the Bradano River basin (Basilicata, southern Italy). The analysis was carried out by means of the model developed within the European project MEDALUS (MEditerranean Desertification And Land USe), which identifies prone areas to desertification through the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) index. The model parameters were implemented and processed using a GIS-based approach to evaluate climate, soil, vegetation and management system quality factors, which represent the input for the ESAs assessment. The results indicate that 35% of the study area is highly sensitive to desertification, 49% of the study area has moderate sensitivity to desertification, 12% has low sensitivity and only 4% is non-sensitive to desertification.

Groundwater Recharge Assessment in the Carbonate Aquifer System of the Lauria Mounts (Southern Italy) by GIS-Based Distributed Hydrogeological Balance Method

The carbonate aquifer system of the northern sector of the Lauria Mounts, located in the southern-western part of the Basilicata region (southern Italy), represents a strategic hydrostructure of the Lucanian Apennines for its groundwater resources. Several springs exploited and not, characterized by important groundwater discharges, drain the aquifer system. In recent decades the demand of freshwater is rising in relation to the population needs, land use change and climate variations, rendering water availability in the future uncertain. For these reasons, intensive actions are being done to ensure the effective protection and quantification of the available groundwater resources. In this perspective, the assessment of the aquifer recharge is the starting point for the correct definition of the available groundwater resources, aimed at the delineation of the proper protection and adequate management of these resources. In this study the application of the inverse hydrogeological water balance method to assess the potential aquifer recharge distributed in the hydrogeological basin, has been carried out based on a GIS procedure. The hydrogeological characterization and the groundwater recharge assessment of the carbonate hydrostructure result to be essential to define integrated actions and strategies for groundwater effective protection and sustainable management.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: NEW INSIGHT ABOUT THE CATCHMENT OF THE ANCIENT TRIGLIO AQUEDUCT

PIETRO; Passadore, Giulia; Garbin, Silvia; B., Matticchio; F., Visentin; I., Brunet; R., Lago; F., Facco; Botter, Gianluca; Carniello, Luca. ELETTRONICO. (2016), pp. 1119-1122. ((Intervento presentato al convegno Convegno Nazionale di Idraulica e Costruzioni Idrauliche tenutosi a Bologna nel Settembre 2016. Original Citation: Un sistema modellistico integrato per la previsione in tempo reale delle piene del Muson dei Sassi (Pd)La XXXV edizione del Convegno Nazionale di Idraulica e Costruzioni Idrauliche (IDRA16), co-organizzata dal Gruppo Italiano di Idraulica (GII) e dal Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Chimica, Ambientale, e dei Materiali (DICAM) dell’Alma Mater Studiorum - Universita di Bologna, si e svolta a Bologna dal 14 al 16 settembre 2016. Il Convegno Nazionale e tornato pertanto ad affacciarsi all’ombra del “Nettuno”, dopo l’edizione del 1982 (XVIII edizione). Il titolo della XXXV edizione, “Ambiente, Risorse, Energia: le sfide dell’Ingegneria delle acque in un mondo che cambia”, sottolinea l’importanza e la complessita delle tematiche che rivestono la sfera dello studio e del governo delle risorse idriche. Le sempre piu profonde interconnessioni tra risorse idriche, sviluppo economico e benessere sociale, infatti, spronano sia l’Accademia che l’intera comunita tecnico-scientifica nazionale ed internazionale all’identificazione ed alla messa in atto di strategie di gestione innovative ed ottimali: sfide percepite quanto mai necessarie in un contesto ambientale in continua evoluzione, come quello in cui viviamo. La XXXV edizione del Convegno di Idraulica e Costruzioni Idrauliche, pertanto, si e posta come punto d’incontro della comunita tecnico-scientifica italiana per la discussione a tutto tondo di tali problematiche, offrendo un programma scientifico particolarmente ricco e articolato, che ha coperto tutti gli ambiti riconducibili all’Ingegneria delle Acque. L’apertura dei lavori del Convegno si e svolta nella storica cornice della Chiesa di Santa Cristina, uno dei luoghi piu caratteristici e belli della citta ed oggi luogo privilegiato per l’ascolto della musica classica, mentre le attivita di presentazione e discussione scientifica si sono svolte principalmente presso la sede della Scuola di Ingegneria e Architettura dell’Universita di Bologna sita in Via Terracini. Il presente volume digitale ad accesso libero (licenza Creative Commons 4.0) raccoglie le memorie brevi pervenute al Comitato Scientifico di IDRA16 ed accettate per la presentazione al convegno a valle di un processo di revisione tra pari. Il volume articola dette memorie in sette macro-tematiche, che costituiscono i capitoli del volume stesso: I. meccanica dei fluidi; II. ambiente marittimo e costiero; III. criteri, metodi e modelli per l’analisi dei processi idrologici e la gestione delle acque; IV. gestione e tutela dei corpi idrici e degli ecosistemi; V. valutazione e mitigazione del rischio idrologico e idraulico; VI. dinamiche acqua-societa: sviluppo sostenibile e gestione del territorio; VII. monitoraggio, open-data e software libero. Ciascuna macro-tematica raggruppa piu sessioni specialistiche autonome sviluppatesi in parallelo durante le giornate del Convegno, i cui titoli vengono richiamati all’interno del presente volume. La vastita e la diversita delle tematiche affrontate, che ben rappresentano la complessita delle numerose sfide dell’Ingegneria delle Acque, appaiono evidenti dalla consultazione dell’insieme di memorie brevi presentate. La convinta partecipazione della Comunita Scientifica Italiana e dimostrata dalle oltre 350 memorie brevi, distribuite in maniera pressoche uniforme tra le sette macro-tematiche di riferimento. Dette memorie sono sommari estesi di lunghezza variabile redatti in lingua italiana, o inglese. In particolare, la possibilita di stesura in inglese e stata concessa con l’auspicio di portare la visibilita del lavoro presentato ad un livello sovranazionale, grazie alla pubblicazione open access del volume degli Atti del Convegno. Il volume si divide in tre parti: la parte iniziale e dedicata alla presentazione del volume ed all’indice generale dei contributi divisi per macro-tematiche; la parte centrale raccoglie le memorie brevi; la terza parte riporta l’indice analitico degli Autori, che chiude il volume.

Analysis of Interaction Between Waves and Cliff Along the Adriatic Coast of Polignano (Apulia, Italy)

The aim of this study is the analysis of the dynamic behavior of the rocky cliff located below the old urban center of Polignano (Apulia, Southern Italy). In order to characterize the behavior of the cliff under the impulse generated by sea waves, two types of measures were carried out on the rocky mass: (1) environmental vibrations and (2) accelerometer records. The first type of measures, has provided a recognition of the intrinsic and anisotropic dynamic behavior of the coastal cliff. The accelerometer records, carried out during heavy storms in December 2009 and January 2010, have allowed to confirm the results of previous measures and to evaluate the energy transfer from waves to cliff, in terms of maximum values and temporal distribution. In order to facilitate a correct interpretation of the measures, also a geomechanical characterization of the rocky mass has been carried out.

Risk and Mitigation of the Large Landslide of Brindisi di Montagna

The Brindisi di Montagna Scalo landslide is located in Basilicata region (Italy), about 18 km south-east of Potenza. It consists on an active earth-flow with a longitudinal extension of about 700 m. The accumulation zone extends till the Basento’s riverbed (on the left side), which is partially obstructed. This area is periodically fed with debris or mud moving along the flow channel, due to both the reactivations of the earthflow along the landslide channel caused by wintry rainfalls and the retrogression of the crown towards upstream and deconstruction of collapsed soil in different parts of the landslide body. The risk induced by this earth flow derives from the presence, on the right bank of Basento river, of a railway line and, a little further away, of the state road 407 “Basentana”. The aim of this work is the analysis of the possible design solutions in order to mitigate the risk. The assessment of risk mitigation measures for the Brindisi di Montagna Scalo landslide was differentiated for the three main geomorphological zones of the landslide: alimentation area, landslide channel and accumulation zone.

Sinkholes Susceptibility Assessment in Urban Environment Using Heuristic, Statistical and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Models in Evaporite Karst System: A Case Study from Lesina Marina (Southern Italy)

Sinkhole susceptibility assessment was carried out in “Lesina Marina” evaporite karst area, located in the north-eastern part of the Apulia region (southern Italy), near the Adriatic coast. Land instability due to the widespread presence of sinkholes especially in a built-up area, constitutes a complex dynamic system, structured by a sets of interacting components, controlled by several natural and anthropogenic factors, forming an integrated whole, in which physical dynamic processes evolve. Heuristic method, multivariate statistical analysis and ANN procedure were performed in order to assess sinkhole susceptibility. In the study area, sinkhole phenomenon is strictly related to the structure and stratigraphy of the evaporite rocks, the groundwater regime conditioned by tide-induced surface water and groundwater interactions, and by the presence of the complex sea-channel-lagoon system. The analysis performed by different procedures explains the relationship between datasets and models capability to predict the behaviour of the phenomenon. The performances of prediction models have been evaluated using ROC curves. The results show that the multivariate statistical model produces a more reliable accuracy.

Modelling Spatially-Distributed Soil Erosion through Remotely-Sensed Data and GIS

Estimation of soil erosion using common empirical models has long been an active research topic. Nevertheless, application of those models at basin scale is still a challenge due to data availability and quality. In this study, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the Unit Stream Power–based Soil Erosion/Deposition (USPED) were applied and compared to determine the spatial distribution of soil erosion of a coastal watershed in Basilicata, southern Italy. A comprehensive approach that integrates ancillary data, digital terrain model, products derived from satellite remote sensing (multi–temporal Landsat imagery) and GIS techniques was adopted to identify major factors influencing soil erosion. Soil loss and soil erosion/deposition maps were produced. The study provided a reliable prediction of soil erosion rates and definition of erosion–prone areas within the watershed.

Effect of ethanol on water flow in the vadose zone.

Ethanol is increasingly used as an automotive fuel in an effort to diminish the use of fossil fuels and to reduce the emission of contaminants into the atmosphere. This study is concerned with the potential negative impact of the (accidental) release of ethanol to the subsurface. Spillage and leakage of ethanol may occur accidentally during production of blended fuels,, transport, storage, handling, or use. It will often occur in the vadose zone, i.e., from the soil surface to the water table where the soil or rock contains both water and air. Ethanol is highly miscible with water. It will reduce the air-water surface tension and alter the viscosity of aqueous solutions. Therefore, ethanol may affect the transmission and retention of water and dissolved contaminants in the vadose zone. There is an urgent need to quantify this effect. In the present study changes in the hydraulic properties of porous media due to ethanol are examined. In particular, we incorporated the surface tension of aqueous solutions as a function of the ethanol concentration in the water retention function with the “air entry” value. Furthermore the changes in hydraulic conductivity with ethanol content have been quantified through the definition of a function that relates the solution viscosity to ethanol content. The HYDRUS-1D model developed for water flow and solute transport in unsaturated soils was modified by introducing a subroutine that performed the scaling of the water retention curve and the hydraulic conductivity function according to the ethanol concentration. The code was used to model three different scenarios. In the first scenario, ponding and redistribution of pure ethanol in an ethanol-free soil column is compared with ponding and redistribution of pure water. The results show that the amount of pure water that enters the soil is larger than the ethanol and that pure water will move faster than pure ethanol. In the second scenario we compare spillage with no spillage of ethanol at the soil surface followed, in both cases, by a dry atmospheric condition, precipitation, and again dry atmospheric conditions. The ethanol spillage will lead to a higher water content in the upper part of the soil. In the third scenario, we compare water flow in columns with a 10% initial ethanol content (contaminated soil) and without initial ethanol (pristine soil). Both columns are subjected to precipitation (infiltration) followed by dry atmospheric conditions (redistribution). The higher conductivity of the pristine soil causes a rapid infiltration of water during precipitation and advancement of the liquid front during redistribution compared to the contaminated soil.