Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rockfall Hazard and Risk Assessment Along a Transportation Corridor in the Nera Valley, Central Italy

  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rockfalls are a common type of fast-moving slope failures, and in many countries they represent the primary cause of landslide fatalities. We present a methodology to ascertain rockfall hazard and to determine the associated risk along transportation networks. The proposed methodology is based on the combined analysis of the recurrence of rockfall events, determined from historical information, the frequency-volume statistics of rockfalls, obtained from inventories of recent rockfall triggering events, and the results of a physically based, spatially distributed rockfall simulation model used to determine rockfall hazard. The available information on rockfall hazard is combined in a Geographic Information System with a map of the transportation network to identify the road sections potentially subject to rockfalls. Information on the location and type of rockfall defensive measures, including revetment nets, elastic fences, concrete walls, and artificial tunnels, is used to estimate the efficacy of the defensive structures and to determine the level of the residual rockfall risk along the roads. To illustrate the methodology, we discuss an application in a 48-km2 area in the Nera River valley, in the Umbria Region of central Italy, where rockfalls are abundant, and where considerable investments were recently made to mitigate rockfall risk.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Figure 3.
Figure 4.
Figure 5.
Figure 6.
Figure 7.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • G. Antonini F. Ardizzone M. Cardinali M. Galli F. Guzzetti P. Reichenbach (2002) ArticleTitleSurface deposits and landslide inventory map of the area affected by the 1997 Umbria-Marche earthquakes Bollettino Societ   Geologica Italiana 121:2 843–853

    Google Scholar 

  • AA. VV., (2002) Rapporto Conclusivo. Protocollo d’Intesa fra la Regione dell’Umbria, Direzione Politiche Territoriali Ambiente e Infrastrutture, ed il CNR-IRPI di Perugia per I’acquisizione di nuove informazioni sui fenomeni franosi nella regione dell’Umbria, la realizzazione di una nuova carta inventario dei movimenti franosi e dei siti colpiti da dissesto, I’individuazione e la perimetrazione delle aree a rischio da frana di particolare rilevanza, e l’aggiornamento delle stime sull’incidenza dei fenomeni di dissesto sul tessuto insediativo, infrastrutturale e produttivo regionale. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca per la Protezione Idrogeologica, unpublished internal report, Perugia, 140 pp. (in Italian).

  • A. Azzoni G. La Barbera A. Zaninetti (1995) ArticleTitleAnalysis and prediction of rockfalls using a mathematical model International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 32 709–724

    Google Scholar 

  • Boschi, E., Guidoboni, E., Ferrari, G., and Valensise, G. (1998) I Terremoti dell’Appennino Umbro- Marchigiano. Area sud orientale dal 99 a.C. al 1984. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica and SGA-Storia Geofisica Ambiente, Tipografia Compositori Publisher, Bologna, 267 pp. (in Italian).

  • Bozzano, F., Gambino, P., Prestininzi, A., Scarascia Mugnozza, G., and Valentini, G. (1998) Ground effects induced by the Umbria-Marche earthquakes of September-October 1997, Central Italy. Pages 825–830 in Proceedings 8th International Association of Engineering Geology Congress, Balkema, Rotterdam.

  • L. Broili (1973) ArticleTitleIn situ tests for the study of rock falls Geologia Applicata ed Idrogeologia 8 105–111

    Google Scholar 

  • C. M. Bunce D. M. Cruden N. R. Morgenstern (1997) ArticleTitleAssessment of the hazard from rock fall on a highway Canadian Geotechnical Journal 34 344–356

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Budetta (2002) ArticleTitleRisk assessment from debris flows in pyroclastic deposits along a motorway, Italy Bulletin Engineering Geology and Environment 61 293–301

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Budetta M. Panico (2002) ArticleTitleII metodo “Rockfall Hazard Rating System” modificato per la valutazione del rischio da caduta massi sulle vie di comunicazione Geologia Tecnica & Ambientale 2 2–13

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Cardinali P. Reichenbach F. Guzzetti F. Ardizzone G. Antonini M. Galli M. Cacciano M. Castellani P. Salvati (2002) ArticleTitleA geomorphological approach to estimate landslide hazard and risk in urban and rural areas in Umbria, central Italy Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 2 57–72

    Google Scholar 

  • K. T. Chau R. H. C. Wong J. J. Wu (2002) ArticleTitleCoefficient of restitution and rotational motions of rockfall impacts International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 39 69–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosta, G. B., and Agliardi, F. (2000) Raccolta, elaborazione ed analisi critica della letteratura esistente relativa al problema della caduta massi, con particolare riferimento all’area alpina della Lombardia. GeoTeAm s.c.r.l. and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca per la Protezione Idrogeologica, unpublished internal report, Perugia, 119 pp. (in Italian).

  • E. Esposito S. Porfido A. L. Simonelli G. Mastrolorenzo G. Iaccarino (2000) ArticleTitleLandslides and other surface induced by the 1997 Umbria-Marche seismic sequence Engineering Geology 58 353–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. G., (1997) “Fatal landslides and landslide risk in Canada.” Pages 620–636 in Proceedings International Workshop on Landslide Risk Assessment, 19–21 February 1997. Honolulu, USA, Balkema, Rotterdam.

  • S. G. Evans O. Hungr (1993) ArticleTitleThe assessment of rockfall hazard at the base of talus slopes Canadian Geotechnical Journal 30 620–636

    Google Scholar 

  • Flageollet, J. C., and Weber, D. (1996) Pages 13–28 in R. Dikau and others (eds.) Landslide recognition, identification, movement and causes. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

  • Fornaro, M., Peila, D. and Nebbia, M. (1990) Block falls on rock slopes—Application of a numerical simulation program to some real cases. Pages 2173–2180 in Proceedings 6th International Association of Engineering Geology Congress, Balkema, Rotterdam.

  • Geogrugg Protection Systems. (2002) Web site http://www.geogrugg.com/us/index.lasso.

  • Guzzetti, F. (2002) Landslide hazard assessment and risk evaluation: overview, limits and prospective. 3rd MITCH Workshop Floods, Droughts and Landslides Who plans, who pays. 24–26 November 2002, Potsdam, Germany, available at http://www.mitch-ec.net/workshop3/Papers/paper_guzzetti.pdf.

  • Guzzetti, F. (2000) “Landslide fatalities and evaluation of landslide risk in Italy” Engineering Geology 58: 89–107

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Guzzetti M. Cardinali P. Reichenbach (1994) ArticleTitleThe AVI Project: A bibliographical and archive inventory of landslides and floods in Italy Environmental Management 18 623–633

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Guzzetti M. Cardinali P. Reichenbach (1996) ArticleTitleThe influence of structural setting and lithology on landslide type and pattern Environmental and Engineering Geosciences 2 531–555

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Guzzetti A. Carrara M. Cardinali P. Reichenbach (1999) ArticleTitleLandslide hazard evaluation: an aid to a sustainable development Geomorphology 31 181–216 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0169-555X(99)00078-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F. Guzzetti G. Crosta (2001) Programma Stone K. Carere (Eds) Pr ©vention des Mouvements de Versants et des Instabilit ©s de Falaises Tipografia Valdostana Aosta 206–210

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Guzzetti G. Crosta R. Detti F. Agliardi (2002) ArticleTitleSTONE: a computer program for the three-dimensional simulation of rock-falls Computers and Geosciences 28 1079–1093

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzzetti, F., Reichenbach, P., Cardinali, C., Ardizzone, F., and Galli, M. (2003a) Impact of landslides in the Umbria Region, Central Italy. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 3:5 469–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzzetti, F., Reichenbach, P., and Wieczorek, G.F. (2003b) Rockfall hazard and risk assessment in the Yosemite Valley, California, USA. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 3:6 491–503

  • Hoek, E. 2000. Analysis of rock fall hazards. Chapter 9. Pages 115–136 in Rock Engineering. Web site http://www.rocscience.com/roc/Hoek/Hoeknotes2000.htm.

  • O. Hungr R. D. Beckie (1998) ArticleTitleAssessment of the hazard from rock fall on a highway: Discussion Canadian Geotechnical Journal 35 409

    Google Scholar 

  • O. Hungr S. G. Evans J. Hazzard (1999) ArticleTitleMagnitude and frequency of rock falls along the main transportation corridors of south-western British Columbia Canadian Geotechnical Journal 36 224–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Maccaferri SpA (2002) Web site http://www.maccaferri.com/ (in Italian).

  • D. Peila S. Polizza S. Sassudelli (1998) ArticleTitleEvaluation of behaviour of rockfall retaining retaining nets by full scale tests International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering 31 1–24

    Google Scholar 

  • SGA, Storia Geofisica Ambiente. (2000) “Fenomeni franosi in Italia indotti da terremoti (secc. XIII– XX).” Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Research Contract 99.00152-42, unpublished report, 137 pp. (in Italian).

  • Pierson, L. A., Davis, S. A., and van Vickle, R. (1990) “The Rockfall Hazard Rating System implementation manual.” Oregon State Highway Division, Report FHWA-OR-EG-90-01, Washington, USA, 80 pp.

  • L. Rochet (1987) ArticleTitleApplication des mod ¨les num ©riques de propagation a l’ ©tude des ©boulements rocheux Bulletin Liaison Pont Chauss ©e 150/151 84–95

    Google Scholar 

  • J.J. Van Dijke C.J. van Westen (1990) ArticleTitleRockfall hazard: a geomorphologic application of neighbourhood analysis with Ilwis ITC Journal 1990–1 40–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Varnes, D. J., (1978) “Slope movements: types and processes.” Pages 11–33 In R. L. Schuster and R. J. Krizek (eds.), Landslide analysis and control. Transportation Research Board, Special Report 176, Washington, D.C.

  • W. B. Whalley (1984) Rockfalls D. Brunsden D. B. Prior (Eds) Slope Stability John Wiley and sons New York 217–256

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the Editor and the two reviewers for their constructive comments. The research was supported by CNR GNDCI and CNR IRPI grants. Preliminary work by Silvia Ghigi was carried out as a Thesis at the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Perugia. The paper is CNR GNDCI publication number 2792.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRPI CNR, via della Madonna Alta 126, 06128, Perugia, Italy

    Fausto Guzzetti & Paola Reichenbach

  2. Cousultant, via del Polacchino 21, 06012, Citt   di Castello, Italy

    Silvia Ghigi

Authors
  1. Fausto Guzzetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paola Reichenbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Silvia Ghigi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fausto Guzzetti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guzzetti, F., Reichenbach, P. & Ghigi, S. Rockfall Hazard and Risk Assessment Along a Transportation Corridor in the Nera Valley, Central Italy. Environmental Management 34, 191–208 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-003-0021-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-003-0021-6

Search

Navigation