The research focuses on the assessment of the potential geomorphological hazards affecting the stability of the Promontory of Portofino (Regional Natural Park of Portofino, Northern Italy), mainly on the bays of San Fruttuoso and Paraggi. The study area constitutes one of the most representative and most populated environments, both by locals and tourists, of the entire Liguria area. For this reason, there is a growing need for investigation on the natural dynamics of these landscapes, based on detailed topographic information. The research starts from a regional geological and geomorphological analysis specific to the study area, combined with a multi-model comparison algorithm (M3C2), which allows comparing two LiDAR datasets acquired in 2008 and 2020, respectively, to assess the overall dynamics of the promontory development. Then, a detailed study of San Fruttuoso and Paraggi bays, two key points for visitors and therefore for management, is performed. Three-dimensional modeling of rockfalls is carried out, which allows the development of a specific management oriented to the use of nature-based solutions (NBSs) strategies, respecting the environment and increasing safety against instability processes in these areas.
Long-term monitoring of structural movements in historic buildings and heritage sites allows assessing their stability and recognizing damages that require intervention. The Punta Begoña Galleries, built in the earlier part of the twentieth century, present pioneering techniques in the use of reinforced concrete in building construction. They stand directly over a coastal cliff, and their recovery requires first to guarantee their stability, while maintaining their historic and patrimonial values. Thus, with the goal of analyzing their global stability, as well as the extent of the observed damages, we implemented a motion monitoring network that includes three boreholes for extensometric control, an inclinometer, and five crack gauges (crackmeters). This monitoring was complemented with the recording of hydrometeorological variables at the surface and in four piezometers. The spectral analysis of the signals of movements was performed by introducing the use of the Lomb-Scargle (LS) periodogram, which is particularly well-suited for the analysis of unevenly spaced time series. This analysis allowed us to differentiate the reversible seasonal elastic components of the records and to recognize the irreversible long-term plastic displacements, which highlight the sectors with active instability. In our case, the identified damages are related to two local problems of building support. Even though the irreversible component of the displacement after seasonal sinusoidal detrending is small (with maximums up to 0.12 mm/year), it does imply a dynamic plastic deformation, which calls for the need to adopt structural stabilization measures.
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