Characterization and Geotechnical Investigations of a Riverbank Failure in Florence, Italy, UNESCO World Heritage Site

A riverbank failure along the Arno River in Florence, Italywas primarily caused by the loss of water from subterranean pipes, leading to a critical reduction in stability. This conclusion was drawn from an integrated analysis combining borehole data, geotechnical characterization, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), digital photogrammetry (DP), bathymetric and geophysical surveys, riverbank stability assessments, and seismic vibration evaluations. The TLS survey revealed the 3D deformation patterns of the riverbank, landslide geometry, and involved volumes, providing critical insights into the failure mechanism. Stability analysis further demonstrated that the lowest safety factor occurred under conditions of complete saturation of filling materials and low river levels, reinforcing the hypothesis that pipe-induced water loss was the key trigger for the collapse on May 25, 2016.

Morelli, S., Pazzi, V., Tanteri, L., Nocentini, M., Lombardi, L., Gigli, G., Tofani, V., & Casagli, N. (2020). Characterization and Geotechnical Investigations of a Riverbank Failure in Florence, Italy, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 146(10). https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)gt.1943-5606.0002305