Application of the Swiss Federal Guidelines on rock fall hazard: a case study in the Cilento region (Southern Italy)

On December 15, 2008, a rock slide of approximately 4,000 m3 occurred near San Severino di Centola (Cilento, Province of Salerno). The landslide occurred along very steep bedding planes intersected by tectonic joints affecting a rocky cliff. The landslide debris, formed by several boulders, came to a halt along the gentler slope below. Many blocks reached the slope base including the national road n° 562 and injuring a motorist on the road. Furthermore, the road suffered heavy damages causing a halt in traffic for many weeks. Several signs of the impacts were detected along the slope and on the road; also, the volumes of some boulders were measured. The area affected by block trajectories stretch down slope about 4,900 m2. By means of 2D and 3D trajectory codes using the “lumped-mass” method, it was possible to estimate more suitable impact energy restitution and rolling friction coefficients, to reconstruct rock fall trajectories, and to calculate total kinetic energies. Extending to the surrounding slope (surface about 2 ha) these data, a hazard scenario was carried out, displaying the pattern of iso-energy distribution curves calculated along 11 critical profiles, and zones exposed to 70% and 30% of frequencies of block transits and endpoints. Successively, with reference to the Swiss Federal Guidelines, another scenario was prepared on the basis of rock fall intensity values and the return period of the 2008 landslide event. In this way, it was possible to define areas of high, moderate and low hazard. The degrees of hazard are assigned according to their consequences for construction activity and outline zones where additional protection is required. The construction of a retaining embankment was believed suitable for local risk mitigation.