As in the rest of the area around the Gulf of Taranto, the territory of Massafra is characterized by deep valleys (locally called gravine) incised in carbonate rocks. This area was deeply interested by development of the rupestrian civilization (Fonseca, 1980), which resulted in many cavities excavated by man, and used for a variety of purposes, including civil settlements and worship sites (Parise et al., 2013). The main gravine at Massafra are San Marco (depth 30 m), cutting the town in two, and Madonna della Scala (depth 40 m), outside the inhabited area. This latter host hundreds of cavities of variable size excavated in the calcarenite rock mass (Caprara & Dell’Aquila, 2009). The most famous is definitely Farmacia del Mago Greguro, a complex cave formed by several chambers on the gravina left wall. At this site, multidisciplinary researches were carried out in order to evaluate the main characters of the subterranean system and its stability conditions. The geological surveys allowed to identify two calcarenite facies, on the basis of their stratigraphic features and of the physico-mechanical parameters, with the first characterized by finer grain size and lower strength values, and the second (making the pavement of the cavity), coarser and with higher strength. These facies were analyzed in laboratory through geotechnical tests, performed both in natural and saturated conditions. The whole cavity complex, and the nearby Ciclope Cave, were scanned by means of the Terrestrial Laser Scanner. After the field survey, the post-processing on the point clouds was performed in order to built 3D model of cave complex. Three geo-electrical surveys were performed within the cavity and at the top of the hill. In the cave, in order to preserve the natural pavement, cables for marine surveys were used. Further, geomorphological analysis and a detailed characterization of the discontinuities (outside and within the cave) were carried out to collect additional information on the likely failures in the rock mass. All these data represented the backbone for successive engineering geology analysis, aimed at evaluating the stability at the site.
Multi-disciplinary studies at an artificial cavity of historical value in the Massafra territory (Taranto province, Apulia).
ANDRIANI G. F.;D’ANGELI I. M.;DIPRIZIO G.;LISO I. S.;MARSICO A.;MASTRANGELO G.;ROMANO G.;SINISCALCHI A.;PARISE M.
2022-01-01
Abstract
As in the rest of the area around the Gulf of Taranto, the territory of Massafra is characterized by deep valleys (locally called gravine) incised in carbonate rocks. This area was deeply interested by development of the rupestrian civilization (Fonseca, 1980), which resulted in many cavities excavated by man, and used for a variety of purposes, including civil settlements and worship sites (Parise et al., 2013). The main gravine at Massafra are San Marco (depth 30 m), cutting the town in two, and Madonna della Scala (depth 40 m), outside the inhabited area. This latter host hundreds of cavities of variable size excavated in the calcarenite rock mass (Caprara & Dell’Aquila, 2009). The most famous is definitely Farmacia del Mago Greguro, a complex cave formed by several chambers on the gravina left wall. At this site, multidisciplinary researches were carried out in order to evaluate the main characters of the subterranean system and its stability conditions. The geological surveys allowed to identify two calcarenite facies, on the basis of their stratigraphic features and of the physico-mechanical parameters, with the first characterized by finer grain size and lower strength values, and the second (making the pavement of the cavity), coarser and with higher strength. These facies were analyzed in laboratory through geotechnical tests, performed both in natural and saturated conditions. The whole cavity complex, and the nearby Ciclope Cave, were scanned by means of the Terrestrial Laser Scanner. After the field survey, the post-processing on the point clouds was performed in order to built 3D model of cave complex. Three geo-electrical surveys were performed within the cavity and at the top of the hill. In the cave, in order to preserve the natural pavement, cables for marine surveys were used. Further, geomorphological analysis and a detailed characterization of the discontinuities (outside and within the cave) were carried out to collect additional information on the likely failures in the rock mass. All these data represented the backbone for successive engineering geology analysis, aimed at evaluating the stability at the site.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
