The DEM or Mt. Etna: geomorphological and structural implications

Abstract

A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Mt. Etna is presented; it has altimetric and planimetric resolution of 1 m and 5 m, respectively, and covers an area of about 120 km . This 3-D view of Mt. Etna allowed both recognition and location of the main morphostructural and volcano-tectonic features of the volcano. A slope map has been generated from the DEM; on the basis of slope distributions and surface textures, five acclivity domains have been recognized. The largest domain, south of the summit craters, reflects the occurrence of old plateau lavas, distinct from central volcanoes which built the present Etnean volcanic system. Interaction between the central volcanoes, with their summit calderas and failed slopes, produced the other recognised domains. Furthermore, newly identified relevant morphostructural lines are discussed. © Elsevier, Paris     

Event Scenario Analysis for the Design of Rockslide Countermeasures

The Torgiovannetto quarry（Assisi municipality,central Italy） is an example of a site where the natural equilibrium was altered by human activity,causing current slope instability phenomena which threaten two roadways important for the local transportation.The quarry front,having a height of about 140 m,is affected by a 182,000 m3 rockslide developed in intensely fractured limestone and is too large to be stabilized.In 2003 some tension cracks were detected in the vegetated area above the quarry upper sector.From then on,several monitoring campaigns were carried out by means of different instrumentations（topographic total station,extensometers,inclinometers,ground-based interferometric radar,laser scanner and infrared thermal camera）,allowing researchers to accurately define the landslide area and volume.The latter’s major displacements are localized in the eastern sector.The deformational field appears to be related to the seasonal rainfall.The landslide hazard associated with the worst case scenario was evaluated in terms of magnitude,intensity and triggering mechanism.For the definition of the possible runout process the DAN 3D code was employed.The simulation results were used in order to design and construct a retaining embankment.Furthermore,in order to preserve both the safety of the personnelinvolved in its realization and of the roadways users,an early warning system was implemented.The early warning system is based on daily-averaged displacement velocity thresholds.The alarm level is reached if the prediction based on the methods of Saito（1969） and Fukuzono（1985） forecasts an imminent rupture.     

An integrated procedure for management of bridge networks in seismic areas

In this work an integrated procedure for the evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of bridges included in the transportation network and a rational resource allocation for retrofitting with the aim of minimizing the consequences of an earthquake is shown at a network level. Both normal service and post-earthquake emergency conditions are considered as possible scenarios. The final result consists in global delay in the network versus seismic action occurring time. An iterative procedure finally defines the priority for optimal budget allocation for retrofitting. The procedure has been tested on a wide bridge network located in the North-eastern part of Italy.     

On the rheological characterisation of liquefied sands through the dam-breaking test

This paper concerns the rheological characterisation of liquefied sands as non-Newtonian Bingham fluids. For this purpose, dam-breaking laboratory tests are often executed and interpreted, offering a viable option to identify the properties of fluidised water-soil mixtures. However, limited attention has been devoted so far to clarify what variables and measurements would allow unambiguous calibration of Bingham parameters, namely, the viscosity η and the yield stress τ_y. The numerical results of parametric studies based on the particle finite element method (PFEM) are critically inspected to gain deeper insight into the problem. First, it is confirmed that multiple η − τ_y pairs may reproduce the same experimental evidence when formed by only one measurement—usually, the post–dam-breaking displacement of the bottom toe (tip) of the liquefied mass. Then, two alternative procedures are proposed for unambiguous identification of both η and τ_y: one is based on monitoring the evolving aspect ratio of the fluid mass during free, gravity-driven flow; the other relies on a slightly different dam-breaking test, also including impact against a rigid obstacle. In particular, the latter approach reduces the relevant duration of the test, reducing the possible influence of reconsolidation effects on the calibration of rheological parameters.     

Lava flow hazard and risk at Mt. Cameroon volcano

Mt. Cameroon is one of the most active effusive volcanoes in Africa. About 500,000 people living or working around its fertile flanks are subject to significant threat from lava flow inundation. Lava flow hazard and risk were assessed by simulating probable lava flow paths using the DOWNFLOW code. The vent opening probability density function and lava flow length distribution were determined on the basis of available data from past eruptions at Mt. Cameroon volcano. Code calibration was performed through comparison with real lava flow paths. The topographic basis for simulations was the 90-m resolution SRTM DEM. Simulated lava flows from about 80,000 possible vents were used to produce a detailed lava flow hazard map. The lava flow risk in the area was mapped by combining the hazard map with digitized infrastructures (i.e., human settlements and roads). Results show that the risk of lava flow inundation is greatest in the most inhabited coastal areas comprising the town of Limbe, which constitutes the center of Cameroon’s oil industry and an important commercial port. Buea, the second most important town in the area, has a much lower risk although it is significantly closer to the summit of the volcano. Non-negligible risk characterizes many villages and most roads in the area surrounding the volcano. In addition to the conventional risk mapping described above, we also present (1) two reversed risk maps (one for buildings and one for roads), where each point on the volcano is classified according to the total damage expected as a consequence of vent opening at that point; (2) maps of the lava catchments for the two main towns of Limbe and Buea, illustrating the expected damage upon venting at any point in the catchment basin. The hazard and risk maps provided here represent valuable tools for both medium/long-term land-use planning and real-time volcanic risk management and decision making.     

Seismic improvement of slender masonry tower by using hysteretic devices and partial prestressing technique

An innovative system for seismic improvement of slender masonry towers by using hysteretic devices and partial prestressing technique was developed and applied to a case study. The proposed technique consists in a low level of prestressing of the upper part of the tower in order to localize in the un-prestressed lower part of the tower, i.e. a limited zone near the basement, the vertical displacements due to the cracking of masonry under seismic action. The positioning of dissipative devices, such as the Buckling-Restrained Axial Dampers, across the localization zone allows a significant contribution in terms of damping for hysteretic dissipation. The main effect of such an intervention is the reduction of the seismic demand to the tower and consequently the reduction of the top displacement as well as of the level of damage of the masonry. Both numerical analyses and experimental tests on a scale model of a Venetian bell tower were carried out showing the efficiency and reliability of the proposed technique.     

Climate change impacts on bedload transport in alpine drainage basins with hydropower exploitation

Sediment transport is known to have a significant impact on hydropower infrastructures and changes in sediment transport rates are important for sediment management measures and hydroelectricity production. In this study, we present how climate change may affect bedload transport in 66 high alpine catchments used by hydropower companies in the Valais, Switzerland. Future sediment yield is estimated with a runoff‐based sediment transport model for the two future 30 year time periods 2021–2050 and 2070–2099. The analysis is integrated into a modelling chain in which error‐corrected and downscaled climate scenarios generated in the framework of the ENSEMBLES project are coupled to the hydrological model PREVAH, glacier retreat and bedload transport. To calibrate the sediment transport model, we used the observed sediment volumes in water intakes and reservoirs if such data were available. The results obtained show on average a decrease of sediment yield due to the reduced runoff generation during summer, especially for the scenario period 2070–2099. A shift of the seasonal sediment transport regime with a current maximum during July and August to earlier months in the year is predicted. Projections of future sediment yield rely on the accuracy of the individual modeling chain elements. The different sources of uncertainty are discussed qualitatively. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimal integrated seismic design of structural and viscoelastic bracing‐damper systems

Passive structural control techniques are generally used as seismic rehabilitation and retrofit methodologies for existing structures. A poorly explored and exciting opportunity within structural seismic control research is represented by the possibility to design new structural forms and configurations, such as slender buildings, without compromising the structural performance through an integrated design approach. In this paper, with reference to viscous dampers, an integrated seismic design procedure of the elastic stiffness resources and viscoelastic properties of a dissipative bracing‐damper system is proposed and developed to ensure a seismic design performance, within the displacement‐based seismic design, explicitly taking into account the dynamic behaviour both of the structural and control systems. The optimal integrated seismic design is defined as the combination of the variables that minimizes a suitable index, representing an optimized objective function. Numerical examples of the proposed integrated cost‐effectiveness seismic design approach both on an equivalent SDOF system and a proportionally damped MDOF integrated system are developed defining the design variables, which minimize the cost index. Validation of the effectiveness of the proposed integrated design procedure is carried out by evaluating the average displacement of the time‐history responses to seven unscaled acceleration records selected according to EC8 provisions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Constraining the dark matter annihilation cross-section with Cherenkov telescope observations of dwarf galaxies

The presence of dark matter in the halo of our Galaxy could be revealed through indirect detection of its annihilation products. Dark matter annihilation is one possible interpretation of the recently measured excesses in positron and electron fluxes, provided that boost factors of the order of 10³ or more are taken into account. Such boost factors are actually achievable through the velocity-dependent Sommerfeld enhancement of the annihilation cross-section. Here, we study the expected γ-ray flux from two local dwarf galaxies for which Cherenkov telescope measurements are available, namely Draco and Sagittarius. We use recent stellar kinematical measurements to model the dark matter haloes of the dwarfs and the results of numerical simulations to model the presence of an associated population of subhaloes. We incorporate the Sommerfeld enhancement of the annihilation cross-section. We compare our predictions with the observations of Draco and Sagittarius performed by MAGIC and HESS, respectively, and derive exclusion limits on the effective annihilation cross-section. We also study the sensitivities of Fermi and of the future Cherenkov telescope array to cross-section enhancements. We find that the boost factor due to the Sommerfeld enhancement is already constrained by the MAGIC and HESS data, with enhancements greater than ∼10⁴ being excluded.