Abstract
Abstract. A landslide, to the west of Montemurro (a small village in southern Italy), has recently caused damage to buildings and other infrastructure in an urbanized area; as a result the development of new economic activities has been prohibited. The landslide phenomenon started in the last century and has been studied since the 1990s using classical geotechnical methods; however the sliding body continues to move. This paper presents the results of a study carried out using field surveys, geognostic investigations and TDR (time domain reflectometry) measurements in order to reconstruct the stratigraphy of the sediments involved and to further understand the geological and geomorphological context of the slope. This study is part of a larger multidisciplinary project, the results of which will also be presented in this paper. The landslide (rotational slide in the upper sector, developing into a translational slide in the lower part) affects Quaternary continental clastic deposits resting on a bedrock formed by Tertiary siliciclastic sediments of the Gorgoglione Flysch. TDR measurements did not show any significant movement during the period monitored (January 2013–January 2014). Slip zone geometries were hypothesized using inclinometric measurements taken from previous studies, stratigraphic data and geomorphological interpretations of topographic scarps. Feedback from monitoring will confirm this hypothesis.
Highlights
Landslides in urbanized environments can cause serious socioeconomic damage and loss of human life
The oldest fan system corresponds to the Spinoso conglomerate formation of Zembo (2010) and to the unconformity-bounded stratigraphic unit in which Carbone et al (2010) included the Brecce di Galaino and the Conglomerati di La Serra, while the subsequent fan systems can be related to the Agri Valley allogroup deposits of Zembo (2010) and the Pietra del Pertusillo supersynthem of Carbone et al (2010)
The slope studied is affected by a strong Quaternary morphodynamic, with several sequential events involving the Miocene siliciclastic deposits of the Gorgoglione Flysch, which represent the pre-Quaternary bedrock, and Quaternary clastic sediments of the Agri Valley allogroup (Torrente Casale and Vallone dell’Aspro alloformation)
Summary
Landslides in urbanized environments can cause serious socioeconomic damage and loss of human life. The studied landslide affects a slope to the west of the town of Montemurro, a semi-urbanized environment where several anthropic buildings have suffered significant structural damage: old farmhouses showing evidence of reactivated movement over time; collapsed old dry stone walls; cracked natural spring fountains; and other fractured stone or masonry buildings. Roads, retaining walls and a tunnel were damaged, creating traffic problems and public inconvenience. All of this has resulted in an increased interest in this landslide over the last few years. Despite numerous studies during the last century, the complex geological and geomorphological framework of the area means the causes of movement affecting the slope and the slip depth are not yet fully understood. Gueguen et al.: The Verdesca landslide in the Agri Valley (Basilicata, southern Italy)
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