Development of a geological model useful for the study of the natural hazards in urban environments. An example from the eastern sector of Rome (Italy)

Detailed knowledge of the subsoil setting is an extremely important issue for a correct risk reduction policy, especially when dealing with urban areas hosting cultural heritage, which enhance risk conditions even at low geo-hazard levels, as in the case of Rome. In general, the reliability of risk assessments related to geo-hazards is strictly dependent on the resolution of the reference geological model. The study presented here exemplifies an integrated methodology aimed at refining the knowledge of the geological setting in unique urban environments, such as the city of Rome, where canonical approaches are limited by the scarcity of outcrops and ad-hoc geognostic surveys may be expensive and time-consuming. The methodology used in the study is based on a critical review of available geological, stratigraphic, archeological and historical-archival data. The integration of such data, properly stored, managed and analysed in a GIS environment, made it possible to: i) better frame the geological setting of a wide sector of the eastern part of Rome; and, in particular, ii) focus on buried natural morphologies (i.e. valleys) strongly modified by progressive urbanisation that determined their filling with huge thickness of backfills, which often represent a critical geotechnical issue. A detailed geological model was thus developed. The model shows slight but significant differences with respect to already available official maps, emphasising the need for carrying out in-depth analyses of already existing data from different sources, in order to collect thematic data to be used for effective land management policies

Contribution for an urban geomorphoheritage assessment method. Proposal from three geomorphosites in Rome (Italy)

Urban geomorphology has important implications in spatial planning of human activities, and it also has a geotouristic potential due to the relationship between cultural and geomorphological heritage. Despite the introduction of the term Anthropocene to describe the deep influence that human activities have had in recent times on Earth evolution, urban geomorphological heritage studies are relatively rare and limited and urban geotourism development is recent. The analysis of the complex urban landscape often need the integration of multidisciplinary data. This study aims to propose the first urban geomorphoheritage assessment method, which originates after long-lasting previous geomorphological and geotouristic studies on Rome city centre, it depict rare examples of the geomorphological mapping of a metropolis and, at the same time, of an inventory of urban geomorphosites. The proposal is applied to geomorphosites in the Esquilino neighbourhood of Rome, whose analysis confirm the need for an ad hoc method for assessing urban geomorphosites, as already highlighted in the most recent literature on the topic. The urban geomorphoheritage assessment method is based on: (i) the urban geomorphological analysis by means of multitemporal and multidisciplinary data; (ii) the geomorphosite inventory; and (iii) the geomorphoheritage assessment and enhancement. One challenge is to assess invisible geomorphosites that are widespread in urban context. To this aim, we reworked the attributes describing the Value of a site for Geotourism in order to build up a specific methodology for the analysis of the urban geomorphological heritage

Geomorphological classification of urban landscapes. The case study of Rome (Italy)

The results of a long-lasting geomorphological survey carried out in Rome are summarized. A method aimed at integrating survey data, historical maps, aerial photographs and archaeological and geomorphological literature produced a geomorphological map of the present-day historical centre. The geomorphology of Rome is related to the paleogeographical conditions prior to the founding of the City; they allow us to recognize the stages of landscape evolution of the ancient Caput Mundi (Capital of the World). The study area has been affected by continuous man-made changes to the drainage network and to the topographic surface over the last 3000 years. It has forced the authors to develop innovative solutions to undertake effective analysis of the urban environment and the legend of the geomorphological map in this peculiar context. The resulting map is useful for urban planning and archaeological research

Geomorphology of the historic centre of the Urbs (Rome, Italy)

Based on long-lasting multidisciplinary and multitemporal investigations, in 2016 the first geomorphological map of the central area of Rome was presented. It introduced innovative solutions for cartographic restitution of urban landforms. Under this work, the urban geomorphological analysis delved deeper, because the study focused on the smaller area of the Urbs, the ancient city centre that has been modified by human activities over millennia. The main goal of the new study was to verify if the 1:5000 scale survey could allow to improve the legend symbols, in order to better represent landforms from natural and anthropogenic processes in urban environment. Since the map scale was doubled compared with the previous and consequently the map area available was four times bigger, we were able to provide much more details. Moreover, results better highlighted the applicative significance of urban geomorphological maps as complementary tool for the assessment of natural hazards and risks

Segnalazione dell’esistenza di un fosso nell’area di San Lorenzo e del Verano e relative implicazioni sulla carta geologica del Comune di Roma.

Si riferiscono i risultati dello studio geologico di un’area comprendente il quartiere di San Lorenzo ed il Verano, ubicati nel settore nord-orientale di Roma adiacente al centro storico, al di fuori delle mura Aureliane, a S e a SE della via Tiburtina, a N e ad O dell’anello ferroviario che occupa la depressione naturale del fosso della Marranella. L’esame di dati inediti ed il riesame di quelli pregressi, di natura sia geologica sia geognostica, hanno portato all’individuazione di un fosso che attraversa il quartiere San Lorenzo e prosegue nell’area cimiteriale del Verano e alla conseguente ridefinizione della geologia locale. Gli approfondimenti eseguiti hanno permesso l’elaborazione di una carta geologica ad una scala di rappresentazione pari a 1:5.000, di maggior dettaglio rispetto alla Carta geologica di Roma scala 1:10.000 di Funiciello e Giordano del 2008

A review of the stratigraphy of Rome (Italy) according to geochronologically and paleomagnetically constrained aggradational successions, glacio-eustatic forcing and volcano-tectonic processes

In this paper we provide a critical review of the studies conducted on the geology of Rome since the first half of the 20th century, aimed at presenting an updated state of the art on the stratigraphy of this area. Following this introductory summary, we present a complete reconstruction of the geological evolution and the resulting chrono-litho-stratigraphic setting of the greater area of Rome, according to a series of works that in the last 20 years have adopted an innovative methodological approach based on the conceptual model of aggradational successions deposited in response to sea-level rise during the glacial terminations, and on the strict geochronologic constraints to the sedimentary record achieved by paleomagnetic investigation of clay sections and 40Ar/39Ar dating of interbedded volcanic materials. We also present a complete overview on the chronostratigraphy of the two volcanic districts of Colli Albani and Monti Sabatini, located SE and NW of Rome respectively, that has been achieved integrating the field work with the large number of radiometric ages provided in these years on their eruptive products. Moreover, we propose a revised stratigraphic column to compare the most recent official 1:50,000 and 1:10,000 geologic mapping of Rome, which is intended as a tool of correlation for an international audience of Quaternary scientists to approach the study of this area. A detailed discussion of the proposed revisions is also provided as supplementary information to this paper.Published40-675A. Paleoclima e ricerche polariJCR Journa

Contribution for an Urban Geomorphoheritage Assessment Method: Proposal from Three Geomorphosites in Rome (Italy)

Urban geomorphology has important implications in spatial planning of human activities, and it also has a geotouristic potential due to the relationship between cultural and geomorphological heritage. Despite the introduction of the term Anthropocene to describe the deep influence that human activities have had in recent times on Earth evolution, urban geomorphological heritage studies are relatively rare and limited and urban geotourism development is recent. The analysis of the complex urban landscape often need the integration of multidisciplinary data. This study aims to propose the first urban geomorphoheritage assessment method, which originates after long-lasting previous geomorphological and geotouristic studies on Rome city centre, it depict rare examples of the geomorphological mapping of a metropolis and, at the same time, of an inventory of urban geomorphosites. The proposal is applied to geomorphosites in the Esquilino neighbourhood of Rome, whose analysis confirm the need for an ad hoc method for assessing urban geomorphosites, as already highlighted in the most recent literature on the topic. The urban geomorphoheritage assessment method is based on: (i) the urban geomorphological analysis by means of multitemporal and multidisciplinary data; (ii) the geomorphosite inventory; and (iii) the geomorphoheritage assessment and enhancement. One challenge is to assess invisible geomorphosites that are widespread in urban context. To this aim, we reworked the attributes describing the Value of a site for Geotourism in order to build up a specific methodology for the analysis of the urban geomorphological heritage

Contribution for an urban geomorphoheritage assessment method: Proposal from three geomorphosites in Rome (Italy)

Urban geomorphology has important implications in spatial planning of human activities, and it also has a geotouristic potential due to the relationship between cultural and geomorphological heritage. Despite the introduction of the term Anthropocene to describe the deep influence that human activities have had in recent times on Earth evolution, urban geomorphological heritage studies are relatively rare and limited and urban geotourism development is recent. The analysis of the complex urban landscape often need the integration of multidisciplinary data. This study aims to propose the first urban geomorphoheritage assessment method, which originates after long-lasting previous geomorphological and geotouristic studies on Rome city centre, it depict rare examples of the geomorphological mapping of a metropolis and, at the same time, of an inventory of urban geomorphosites. The proposal is applied to geomorphosites in the Esquilino neighbourhood of Rome, whose analysis confirm the need for an ad hoc method for assessing urban geomorphosites, as already highlighted in the most recent literature on the topic. The urban geomorphoheritage assessment method is based on: (i) the urban geomorphological analysis by means of multitemporal and multidisciplinary data; (ii) the geomorphosite inventory; and (iii) the geomorphoheritage assessment and enhancement. One challenge is to assess invisible geomorphosites that are widespread in urban context. To this aim, we reworked the attributes describing the Value of a site for Geotourism in order to build up a specific methodology for the analysis of the urban geomorphological heritage

Geomorphology of the Anthropocene in Mediterranean urban areas

Urban-geomorphology studies in historical cities provide a significant contribution towards the broad definition of the Anthropocene, perhaps even including its consideration as a new unit of geological time. Specific methodological approaches to recognize and map landforms in urban environments, where human-induced geomorphic processes have often overcome the natural ones, are proposed. This paper reports the results from, and comparison of, studies conducted in coastal historical cities facing the core of the Mediterranean Sea – that is, Genoa, Rome, Naples, Palermo (Italy) and Patras (Greece). Their settlements were facilitated by similar climatic and geographical contexts, with high grounds functional for defence, as well as by the availability of rocks useful as construction materials, which were excavated both in opencast and underground quarries. Over centuries, urbanization has also required the levelling of relief, which was performed by the excavation of heights, filling of depressions and by slope terracing. Consequently, highly modified hydrographic networks, whose streams were dammed, diverted, modified in a culvert or simply buried, characterize the selected cities. Their urban growth, which has been driven by maritime commercial activities, has determined anthropogenic coastal progradation through port and defence or waterfront works. Aggradation of artificial ground has also occurred as a consequence of repeated destruction because of both human and natural events, and subsequent reconstruction even over ruins, buried depressions and shallow cavities. As a result, the selected cities represent anthropogenic landscapes that have been predominately shaped by several human-driven processes, sometimes over centuries. Each landform represents the current result, often from multiple activities with opposing geomorphic effects. Beyond academic progress, we believe that detecting and mapping these landforms and processes should be compulsory, even in risk-assessment urban planning, because of the increase of both hazards and vulnerability as a result of climate-change-induced extreme events and extensive urbanization, respectively