Search results for "calcarenite."
showing 9 items of 39 documents
Evaluation of cliff recession in the Valle dei Templi in Agrigento (Sicily)
2015
Abstract The sacral complex of the Valle dei Templi in Agrigento, added in the UNESCO Heritage Site List, stands over the crest of a rigid calcarenite cuesta, which overlies a layer of partially saturated (S = 6–12%) carbonate sand. In turn, the sand stratum lies on a thick stratum of clays. The environment is highly prone to landslides as highlighted by several previous studies that identify the undermining of slopes and the discontinuity pattern, occurred in the late Neotectonic phase, as causes of cliff failure. For wider and less exposed areas, where the undermining local instabilities can be present because of the specific morphology of the site, a recent research has proposed a new in…
Examples of anthropogenic sinkholes in Sicily and comparison with similar phenomena in southern Italy
2013
A sinkhole, occurred in June 2011 and related to an underground quarry in the eastern sector of Marsala, is described in this paper as a case study (Figure 2). The site was selected for the availability of topographic data of the underground quarry, prior to the formation of the Abstract Anthropogenic sinkholes affect several built-up areas of Sicily (southern Italy) representing a great risk to people, buildings, and infrastructures. These phenomena are generally associated with the presence of ancient underground quarries for the extraction of calcarenite rock, used for building or ornamental materials. These quarries were poorly constructed and abandoned throughout history.
Effects of the 6th September 2002 earthquake: damage amplification in the south-eastern sector of Palermo explained by GIS technology
2009
During the 6th September 2002 earthquake the highest damage level in Palermo was observed in the SE sector. This is a recent urbanization area where reinforced concrete structures predominate. A detailed analysis of soil properties in Palermo was carried out by City-GIS to investigate a possible role of nearsurface geology on earthquake effects. City-GIS is a tool dedicated to natural hazard evaluation in urban areas. The availability of high density of well log data (stratigraphic and geotechnical) allowed a realistic modeling of surface geology and physical-mechanical properties that control the seismic response. In wide zones of the above mentioned sector of…
Contributo alla conoscenza delle proprietà termofisiche delle murature storiche palermitane
2014
This paper presents the preliminary findings of in situ measurements of thermal transmittance taken in a monumental complex in Palermo. The objective of energy efficiency, one of the main aspects of sustainable construction, is now relevant also for historic architecture. The research aims at analysing the energy performance of the stone walls of the complex, characterized by various thickness, age and construction features. Measurements are taken in accordance with the international standard ISO 9869:1994. The U-values so obtained are compared with tabular data from the Italian standard UNI/TS 11300-1:2008 and with values calculated following the UNI EN ISO 6946:2008. Nine preliminary meas…
Ground instability in the old town of Agrigento (Italy) depicted by on-site investigations and Persistent Scatterers data
2012
We combine on-site investigations with the interpretation of satellite Persistent Scatterers (PS) to analyse ground instability in the historic town of Agrigento, Italy. Geological and geomorphologic surveys, together with geostructural and kinematic analyses, depict the deformational patterns of the northwestern sector of the town, previously documented by extensive literature available for the neighbouring Valley of the Temples. The geological and geomorphologic maps are reconstructed by combining bibliographic studies, field surveys and aerial stereo-interpretation. ERS-1/2 PS data reveal deformation velocities up to 18–20 mm yr<sup>−1</sup> in 1992–2000 over the Addolorata l…
Land Cadastre in Italy for Sustainable Development: Application to Two Parcels of Land in a Geopark in the Process of Being Defined in Corleone (PA-I…
2020
Geoparks, like all parks, are UNESCO awards for a sustainable management of all resources and therefore also of human life. Environmental emergencies such as climate change, pollution, soil erosion, salinisation, and fires that, together with health emergencies, undermine life on earth, require intervention. The widespread sustainable management of the territory of a municipality, a region, a nation, or all of them (European Union) allows to widen the application of these concepts to reach the limit of a planet that guarantees life for future generations. The work after having exposed the motivations of the geopark (an initiative born by chance), i.e. the surface where the environmental bea…
Strengthening of masonry walls subjected to out-of-plane loads using CFRPs
2007
This paper presents an experimental investigation carried out on masonry panels subjected to axial load and bending moment in the plane of minor inertia. The masonry type consist of calcarenite ashlars and mortar joints; the reinforcement is made of Carbon Fibres Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strips applied with the wet-lay-up system. Tests are carried out with controlled displacements. Results have been recorded at each step in terms of: horizontal force and corresponding displacements; moment and curvature at the base of the wall; strains on the CFRP strips near the base of reinforced specimens in order to observe the delamination phenomen. Comparison between the results relative to unreinfor…
The preservation of the Agrigento Cathedral
2013
The Agrigento Cathedral was built about nine centuries ago on the edge of a steep slope made up of alternating inclined layers of soft calcarenites and fine-grained soils; its behaviour has never been satisfactory especially as far as the North aisle is concerned. Many corrective measures have been attempted during its lifespan and also a few years ago. They proved invariably unsuccessful. Recent geotechnical investigations, referred to in the paper, permitted to find out that the main cause of the Cathedral distress is a sliding mechanism involving the upper zone of the slope underlying the North aisle; consequently the essential requirement for the preservation of the Cathedral is the sta…
The thermal performances of historic masonry: In-situ measurements of thermal conductance on calcarenite stone walls in Palermo
2018
Abstract Rich literature explores materials and construction techniques of historic buildings, but limited information is available about the thermal and hygrometric features of their envelope. Nevertheless, accurate hygrothermal data are essential for identifying effective energy upgrade measures, which must be compatible with the conservation of the architectural heritage. In order to fill this gap, it is necessary to refer to local contexts, where the variety of historic buildings is limited and their material and construction features are comparable. This paper focuses on historic masonry walls and discusses the results of twenty in-situ measurements of thermal conductance, performed al…