Italian journal of engineering geology and environment

Flood hazard analysis in the Oliveto River Basin

2023-01-17T09:37:16+00:00

Generally, a flood is a temporary flooding of areas that usually are not covered with water. The main driving factors are heavy rainfall, bridge obstructions, dam break, land use change, anthropogenic pressure etc. In many cases, individual driving factors are analyzed without an integrated analysis of all the main driving factors. The paper describes a case study on the flood hazard assessment in the Oliveto River basin through a multi-hazard analysis. In this analysis geomorphological, sedimentological, climatic, hydrological, and hydraulic aspects, together with the identification of criticalities that can increase the hydraulic hazard, were analyzed to identify areas subject to potential flooding. The paper mainly highlighted that a flood hazard analysis, carried out by considering only a single driving factor, can underestimate the hazard. Furthermore, the paper shows how that the analyses on a local scale and not on a basin scale can lead to partial or misleading results. Indeed, the analysis highlighted the possibility of hazard conditions just for non-exceptional events, characterized by a 50-year return period, in absence of dam break and sediment transport. The hazard conditions increase due to the openings in the levees near man-made areas and it can be further increased if a dam break occurs or if the discharge is not only water but also includes sediments and blocks.

Development and evaluation of the drinking water quality index in the Eastern Bank of Nineveh Governorate

2023-01-17T10:08:13+00:00

Groundwater quality is the result of all the chemical and hydrological reactions and processes that affected on the water. The Water Quality Index (WQI) is a mathematical tool that describes water quality to assess the levels of water usage. This study attempts to develop a new method for the groundwater quality index (GWQI). It is based on the standards of the (WHO, 2006) and the (IQS 417, 2001) to assess the groundwater and validity of wells water for drinking in the eastern bank of Nineveh Governorate. 139 well water samples were taken to measure 12 physical variables (pH, E.C. and T.D.S.) and chemical variables (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, SO₄², HCO₃^2-, Cl^-, NO₃^-, and T.H.). Nine variables were use to calculate the WQI, excluding non-influential parameters (potassium, pH, and bicarbonate) that fall within the permissible ranges for drinking in WHO and IQS 417, based on the statistical treatments. The study developed and modified equations and classifications were used to reflect an accurate quality of the groundwater in the region. The (GWQI.3) classified depending on (WHO, 2006), 37% of wells were unsuitable, 57% were very poor, 6% were poor, while the (GWQI.6) was classified as follows: 68% are unsuitable, 30% very poor, 2% poor, depending on (IQS 417, 2001). In general, groundwater in the study area is unsuitable for drinking and civil uses.

Contribution of geographic information system to improve the insurance management of natural disasters in Algeria case study: the City of Batna

2023-01-17T10:31:12+00:00

In recent years, the frequency of natural disasters has increased all over the world, including in Algeria. In the last decades Algeria has been marked by very largescale natural disasters: floods, landslides and earthquakes, which have caused considerable material damage and loss of life in view of the extent of the damage caused by natural disasters, the public authorities have decided to set up a special insurance system (CatNat ) based on the obligation to insure against the effects of natural disasters, in order to lighten the burden on the State in terms of reparations. This insurance was created in 2004 following damage caused by the floods in Bab El Oued and the earthquake in Boumerdes in
2001 and 2003 respectively. The increase in natural disasters and thus in the cost of claiming compensation encourages insurers to participate in the recovery and reduction of natural risks by improving their insurance management. The applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to insurance management are numerous; and they allow, among other things, insurers to segment their pricing and to specialise the vulnerability of their insurance portfolios. Insurers support their management on natural risk, exposure and liability cards. Geographic information becomes crucial for insurers. This paper talks about clarified the role of insurers in the management of natural risks and how to promote better insurance management through the integration of geographic information system in the city Batna.

Problems and solutions for the management of a unitary system of landslide monitoring networks: an experience in North Italy

2023-01-17T10:42:41+00:00

International scientific studies show that landslides are widespread throughout Europe, especially in Italy (Herrera et alii, 2018; Trigila et alii, 2007). Due to the phenomenon high dimension, it’s not possible to act in all the areas with structural operations to reduce the landslides risk. For this reason, the geological monitoring networks represent an efficacious and cost-effective system to protect the population. ARPA Lombardia, with Geological Monitoring Centre (CMG), has worked for the last years for the management of dozens of early warning geological monitoring networks. CMG has been monitoring a total of 44 landslide areas and has been collecting and analysing about 25 million data for the last years. These data are acquired by sensors every 10 or 30 minutes. This paper will take in consideration the essential and critical aspects linked to the planning, integration and unitary management of numerous monitoring networks to control landslides. The CMG’s experience has shown how the unitary management of the warning systems of multiple monitoring networks is the ideal method to manage landslides problem and reduce hazard. This paper highlights how the technician’s formation on landslides and geological monitoring networks has allowed better management of the landslide risk problem. Finally, it is quantitatively demonstrated that management costs show significant reductions after the implementation of this unitary management.

Explorative data analysis from multiparametric monitoring at the Acuto Field Laboratory (Central Italy) for detecting preparatory conditions to rock block instabilities

2023-01-30T09:07:02+00:00

This study summarises the research activity carried out in the Acuto Field Laboratory (FR, Italy), where experiments testing the stability of a subvertical rock wall in limestone are ongoing within an abandoned quarry, now devoted to studies focused on the mitigation of geological risks. The research focuses on the natural factors that can prepare a subvertical rock mass to evolve through subsequent rock fall if predisposing conditions are verified. A network of multiparameter monitoring sensors is installed on three different sectors of the rock wall to record both the natural and anthropogenic stressors and the effects of deformation induced by them. In terms of stressors, the multiparametric monitoring system is able to detect the environmental parameters, such as temperature, rainfall, wind, strain, and vibrations. In terms of induced effects on the rock mass, the multiparametric monitoring system is suitable to detect deformation, displacement, and microseismicity. In this paper, the different monitored parameters are presented along with detailed analyses to highlight cause to effect relationships, such as freezing and thawing, to retrieve correlations among different factors. The obtained results represent the first analysis of the data recorded in the three instrumented sectors of the field laboratory and allowed evaluating the role of preparatory factors in inducing rock falls, opening further perspective on numerical modelling or machine learning applications based on monitoring data.

Ischia (Italy): a multirisk island

2023-03-04T15:13:51+00:00