The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes
Similar to many inner areas of Southern Europe, the Daunia Apennines are affected by widespread landsliding, often consisting of slow, deep-seated movements. Recurrent acceleration of these landslides causes damage to buildings and infrastructures, severely biasing the socio-economic development of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Geosciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/10/429 |
| _version_ | 1827679481202999296 |
|---|---|
| author | Nunzio Losacco Osvaldo Bottiglieri Francesca Santaloia Claudia Vitone Federica Cotecchia |
| author_facet | Nunzio Losacco Osvaldo Bottiglieri Francesca Santaloia Claudia Vitone Federica Cotecchia |
| author_sort | Nunzio Losacco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Similar to many inner areas of Southern Europe, the Daunia Apennines are affected by widespread landsliding, often consisting of slow, deep-seated movements. Recurrent acceleration of these landslides causes damage to buildings and infrastructures, severely biasing the socio-economic development of the region. Most landslides in the area of study occur within clayey units of turbiditic flysch formations, often severely disturbed by tectonic thrust and previous landsliding. The Faeto Flysch (FAE) is one of the most widespread turbiditic formations in the Daunia Apennines and is representative of the tectonised geological formations involved in slope failure. This work, by examining the landslide processes occurring at four pilot sites, aims at connecting the observed mechanisms to the geo-hydro-mechanical setup of FAE in the slopes. It is found that the soil portion of FAE consists of highly plastic clays, resulting in low intrinsic shear strength, and hence controls the initiation and progression of failure in the slopes, as such representing an internal predisposing factor to landsliding. In addition, the presence of fractured rock strata confers a high permeability at the slope scale, with respect to that of the soil matrix. This results in severe piezometric levels in the slope, which represent another internal predisposing factor to failure, and in the ability to induce significant seasonal pore water pressure oscillations down to great depths, connected to rainfall infiltration, thus triggering the recurrent acceleration of the landslides. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:32:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af163ff88e9b41c3854b99f6cb0ed7e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:32:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-af163ff88e9b41c3854b99f6cb0ed7e62023-11-22T18:23:50ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632021-10-01111042910.3390/geosciences11100429The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure ProcessesNunzio Losacco0Osvaldo Bottiglieri1Francesca Santaloia2Claudia Vitone3Federica Cotecchia4DICATECH, Politecnico di Bari, Via Edoardo Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyDICATECH, Politecnico di Bari, Via Edoardo Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyIRPI, National Research Council, Via Giovanni Amendola 122, 70126 Bari, ItalyDICATECH, Politecnico di Bari, Via Edoardo Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyDICATECH, Politecnico di Bari, Via Edoardo Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalySimilar to many inner areas of Southern Europe, the Daunia Apennines are affected by widespread landsliding, often consisting of slow, deep-seated movements. Recurrent acceleration of these landslides causes damage to buildings and infrastructures, severely biasing the socio-economic development of the region. Most landslides in the area of study occur within clayey units of turbiditic flysch formations, often severely disturbed by tectonic thrust and previous landsliding. The Faeto Flysch (FAE) is one of the most widespread turbiditic formations in the Daunia Apennines and is representative of the tectonised geological formations involved in slope failure. This work, by examining the landslide processes occurring at four pilot sites, aims at connecting the observed mechanisms to the geo-hydro-mechanical setup of FAE in the slopes. It is found that the soil portion of FAE consists of highly plastic clays, resulting in low intrinsic shear strength, and hence controls the initiation and progression of failure in the slopes, as such representing an internal predisposing factor to landsliding. In addition, the presence of fractured rock strata confers a high permeability at the slope scale, with respect to that of the soil matrix. This results in severe piezometric levels in the slope, which represent another internal predisposing factor to failure, and in the ability to induce significant seasonal pore water pressure oscillations down to great depths, connected to rainfall infiltration, thus triggering the recurrent acceleration of the landslides.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/10/429landslide mechanismgeo-hydro-mechanical settingturbiditic flyschgeotechnical characterisationhigh plasticity clay |
| spellingShingle | Nunzio Losacco Osvaldo Bottiglieri Francesca Santaloia Claudia Vitone Federica Cotecchia The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes Geosciences landslide mechanism geo-hydro-mechanical setting turbiditic flysch geotechnical characterisation high plasticity clay |
| title | The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes |
| title_full | The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes |
| title_fullStr | The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes |
| title_short | The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes |
| title_sort | geo hydro mechanical properties of a turbiditic formation as internal factors of slope failure processes |
| topic | landslide mechanism geo-hydro-mechanical setting turbiditic flysch geotechnical characterisation high plasticity clay |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/10/429 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nunziolosacco thegeohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT osvaldobottiglieri thegeohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT francescasantaloia thegeohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT claudiavitone thegeohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT federicacotecchia thegeohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT nunziolosacco geohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT osvaldobottiglieri geohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT francescasantaloia geohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT claudiavitone geohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses AT federicacotecchia geohydromechanicalpropertiesofaturbiditicformationasinternalfactorsofslopefailureprocesses |