2-D Seismic Response Analysis of a Slope in the Tyrrhenian Area (Italy)

The Caronia area is located in the Tyrrhenian north-eastern sector of Sicily (Italy). Starting in 2010, attention focused on the study of landslides phenomena that occurred in this area, which caused significant economic damage to buildings and infrastructures and loss of productive activities. The site is characterized by geotechnical, geological and morphological heterogeneity, and for this reason the site is particularly prone to seismic topographic amplification effects. In this paper, the authors carried out numerical studies focused on the topographic seismic effect evaluation concerning the slope affected by the landslide phenomena. For this site, geotechnical characterization was available concerning both in-situ and laboratory tests; boreholes, piezometers, down-hole tests, multichannel analysis of surface waves tests, seismic tomographies and inclinometer measurements were carried out. Furthermore, 1-D and 2-D local seismic response analyses were carried out by using different synthetic seismograms related to the earthquake of Messina and Reggio Calabria on 28 December 1908. The results of the numerical analyses are presented in terms of response seismograms and response spectra at the surface.

Automated summary

The Caronia area in northeastern Sicily, Italy, has been the focus of attention due to landslides causing economic damage and loss of productive activities. The site's heterogeneity makes it susceptible to seismic topographic amplification effects, leading to numerical studies and seismic effect evaluations being conducted to assess the slope affected by landslides. Geological and geotechnical characterizations, as well as local seismic response analyses, were carried out to understand the site's seismic behavior.