Abstract
ABSTRACTIn this work, we introduce the results of a multi-temporal analysis of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) images of the Uggiano castle, a highly degraded medieval archaeological site located about 5 km to the north-west of the Ferrandina town (Basilicata, southern Italy). The geomorphological analysis carried out by multi-temporal images has been integrated with a geological field survey in order to retrace the hillslope evolution of the site as well as the adjacent slopes. This kind of analysis allows to investigate the main stratigraphical and topographic factors responsible for the slope processes, acting along the outer edges of the archaeological site, which is today reduced to a few ruins located at the top of a circular ridge with steep slopes shaped on sandy-conglomerate Pleistocene regressive deposits. The instability phenomena are mainly due to localized erosional processes and falls in conglomerates, which affected the edges of the top surface, where the castle was built. High-resolution images also highlight several collapses of artificial cavities (cisterns) in the central sector of the archaeological site. In addition, a comparison between oblique and vertical UAV images, historical maps, aerial-photo images and the relationships with rainfalls permitted to acquire key data about evolution of slope and erosional processes. Such integrated approach allowed us to individuate in safety conditions the more exposed sectors of archaeological site, where the slope failure processes and collapse cavities occurred, as well as their time activation.
Highlights
Satellite and aerial remote-sensing has proved to be a powerful and widely used tool in many geoscience applications (Scaioni 2013, Toumi et al 2013, Zhang et al 2005, among others), high costs and low-spatial resolution can represent a significant limitation for the investigation of small areas
We introduce the results of a multi-temporal analysis of UAV images of the Uggiano castle, a highly degraded medieval archaeological site located about 5 km to the north-west of the Ferrandina town (Basilicata, southern Italy)
This kind of analysis allows to investigate the main stratigraphical and topographic factors responsible for the slope processes, acting along the outer edges of the archaeological site, which is today reduced to a few ruins located at the top of a circular ridge with steep slopes shaped on sandy-conglomerate Pleistocene regressive deposits
Summary
GEOMATICS, NATURAL HAZARDS AND RISK drones allows the quick collection of aerial images at low and medium altitudes from both vertical and oblique angles; adaptability to different types of missions; inexpensiveness: the possibility to plan unmanned aerial vehicles of variable sizes and with a relatively low weight allows performing flight operations at low costs with respect to those required by conventional aerial vehicles. We present the results of a multi-temporal analysis of UAV images of the Uggiano castle (Basilicata, southern Italy), a degraded medieval archaeological site located about 5 km to the NW of the Ferrandina town (Figure 1), affected by erosional and landslide phenomena. - to detect the usefulness of UAV-derived images in the geomorphological analysis of an archaeological site highly prone to slope failures;. - to investigate the historical and recent evolution of slope failure processes affecting the archaeological site through the multi-temporal comparison of historical maps, ortophotos and UAV images;. - to infer the main predisposing and triggering factors responsible for the widespread instability phenomena
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