Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dynamic characterization of soils and soft rocks of the Central Archeological Area of Rome

  • Original Research Paper
  • Published:
Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper presents the results of in-situ and laboratory tests aimed at defining the cyclic properties of soils and soft rocks of the Central Archeological Area of Rome in the framework of the seismic microzonation study of the area. The small-strain shear modulus \(\text{ G }_{0}\) (or analogously shear wave velocity \(\text{ V }_\mathrm{S}\)) and the curves expressing shear modulus G and damping ratio D variation with shear strain amplitude were investigated. A large amount of in-hole tests integrated with active surface wave tests were utilized to characterize the small-strain stiffness of the lithotypes identified in the area. Small-strain stiffness values determined by geophysical tests were further compared with those measured in the laboratory showing different behaviors of soils and soft rocks. The effects of sample disturbance and degree of jointing, for soils and soft rocks, respectively, was invoked to explain the observed differences. The shear modulus and damping ratio versus shear strain amplitude curves were determined by means of resonant column and cyclic shear tests, both simple and torsional. The experimental results were compared with literature data on similar soils highlighting some peculiar behaviors. In particular the role of fine matrix in sandy soils and organic matter content of clays on the cyclic properties was stressed. The results showed that an increase in fine matrix and organic content results in a stronger linearity and lower damping ratio.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boulanger RW, Arulnathan R, Torres RA, Driller MW (1998) Dynamic properties of Sherman Island peat. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 124(1):12–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cardarelli E, Di Filippo G (2009) Integrated geophysical methods for the characterisation of an archaeological site (Massenzio Balisica—Roman Forum, Rome, Italy). J Appl Geophys 68:508–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrara E, Carrozzo MT, Fedi M (2001) Resistivity and radar surveys at the archaeological site of Ercolano. J Environ Eng Geophys 6:123–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cavallaro A, Massimino MR, Maugeri M (2003a) Noto Cathedral: soil and foundation investigation. Constr Build Mater 17:533–541

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cavallaro A, Lanzo G, Pagliaroli A, Maugeri M et al (2003b) A comparative study on shear modulus and damping ratio of cohesive soil from laboratory tests. In: Benedetto Di (ed) Deformation characteristics of geomaterials. Swets & Zeitlinger Publishers, Lisse, pp 257–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Cecchi R (2010) Roma Archæologia. Interventi per la tutela e la fruizione del patrimonio archeologico; secondo rapporto, Mondadori Electa, Milano

  • Cecchi R (2011) Roma Archæologia. Interventi per la tutela e la fruizione del patrimonio archeologico; terzo rapporto, vol. 2. Mondadori Electa, Milano

  • Choi WK (2008) Dynamic properties of ash-flow tuffs. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Texas at Austin. http://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/3991

  • D’Elia B, Lanzo G, Pagliaroli A (2003) Small strain stiffness and damping of soils in a direct simple shear device. In: Pacific conference on earthquake engineering 2003, Christchurch, New Zealand

  • Darendeli MB (2001) Development of a new family of normalized modulus reduction and material damping curves. Ph.D Dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, 362 pp

  • Doroudian M, Vucetic M (1995) A direct simple shear device for measuring small-strain behavior. Geotech Test J GTJODJ 18(1):69–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kallioglou P, Tika Th, Koninis G, Pitilakis K (2009) Shear modulus and damping ratio of organic soils. Geotech Geol Eng 27:217–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kramer SL (2000) Dynamic response of Mercer Slough peat. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 126(6):504–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lanzo G (1995) Comportamento non lineare del terreno influente sulla risposta sismica locale, Tesi di dottorato in Ingegneria Geotecnica, Consorzio Università di Roma “La Sapienza”—Napoli “Federico II” (in Italian)

  • Lanzo G, Pagliaroli A, Tommasi P, Chiocci FL (2009) Simple shear testing of very soft offshore clay for wide strain range. Can Geotech J 46(11):1277–1288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mancini M, Marini M, Moscatelli M, Pagliaroli A, Cavinato GP, Corazza A, Di Salvo C, Simionato M, Stigliano F (2013) Subsoil of the Central Archaeological Area of Rome: a physical stratigraphy approach to delineation of a geotechnical reference model for level 1 seismic microzonation. Bull Earthq Eng, Special issue on “Seismic Microzonation of Palatine hill, Roman Forum and Coliseum Archaeological Area” (submitted)

  • Moscatelli M, Pagliaroli A, Mancini M, Stigliano F, Cavuoto G, Simionato M, Peronace E, Quadrio B, Tommasi P, Cavinato GP et al (2012) Integrated subsoil model for seismic microzonation in the Central Archaeological Area of Rome (Italy). Disaster Adv 5:109–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Moscatelli M, Piscitelli S, Piro S, Stigliano F, Giocoli A, Zamuner D, Marconi F (2013) Integrated geological and geophysical investigations to characterized the anthropic layer of Palatine hill and Roman Forum. Bull Earthq Eng, Special issue on “Seismic Microzonation of Palatine hill, Roman Forum and Coliseum Archaeological Area” (submitted)

  • MS Working Group (2008) Indirizzi e Criteri per la Microzonazione Sismica, Guiding Principles and Criteria for Seismic Microzonation, 3 vol. and DVD

  • Pagliaroli A, Lanzo G (2009) Comportamento ciclico di terreni argillosi della città di Roma. XIII Congresso Nazionale “L’Ingegneria Sismica in Italia”, ANIDIS, Bologna (in Italian)

  • Pagliaroli A, Quadrio B, Lanzo G, Sanò T (2013) Numerical modelling of site effects in the Palatine hill, Roman Forum and Coliseum archaeological area. Bull Earthq Eng, Special issue on “Seismic Microzonation of Palatine hill, Roman Forum and Coliseum Archaeological Area”. doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9436-5

  • Papa V, Silvestri F, Vinale F (1988) Analisi delle proprietà di un tipico terreno piroclastico mediante prove dinamiche di taglio semplice. I Convegno del Gruppo Nazionale di Coordinamento per gli Studi di Ingegneria Geotecnica, Monselice (PD) (in Italian)

  • Piro S, Goodman D, Nishimura Y (2003) The study and characterisation of Emperor Traiano’s Villa (Altipiani di Arcinazzo-Roma) using high resolution integrated geophysical surveys. Archaeol Prospect 10:1–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotonda T, Tommasi P, Ribacchi R (2002) Physical and mechanical characterization of the soft pyroclastic rocks forming the Orvieto cliff. In: Proceedings of the ISRM workshop on volcanic rocks, Madeira, pp 137–146

  • Seed HB, Idriss IM (1970) Soil moduli and damping factors for dynamic response analyses, Report No. EERC 70–10, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley

  • Stokoe KH, II, Santamarina JC (2000) Seismic-wave-based testing in geotechnical engineering. In: GeoEng2000 Lancaster. Technomic Publishing Co, Pa, pp 1490–1536

  • Stokoe KH II, Bay JA, Rosenbald BL, Hwang SK, Twede MR (1994) In situ seismic and dynamic laboratory measurements of geotechnical materials at Queensboro Bridge and Roosevelt Island, Geotechnical Engineering Rep. No. GR94-5, Civil Engineering Dept., Univ. of Texas at Austin

  • Stokoe KH, Darendeli MB, Menq F-Y, Choi WK (2004) Comparison of linear and nonlinear dynamic properties of Gravel, Sand Silts and Clays. In: Proceedings of the V ICSDEE & III ICEGE, Berkeley, USA

  • Vucetic M, Dobry R (1991) Effects of the soil plasticity on cyclic response. J Geotech Eng Div ASCE 117(1):89–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wehling TM, Boulanger RW, Arulnathan R, Harder LF, Driller MW (2003) Nonlinear dynamic properties of a fibrous organic soil. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 129(10):929–939

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Roberto Cecchi (former Government Commissioner) and Pia Petrangeli (first project coordinator, and then Government Commissioner) for funding the geological, geophysical and geotechnical surveys. The study was carried out within the UrbiSIT Project (2007–2012), financially supported by DPC, the Italian Civil Protection Department (CNR-IGAG project manager: G. P. Cavinato; DPC referents: L. Cavarra, F. Leone, G. Naso, F. Bramerini). The DISG laboratory technicians Silvano Silvani, Marco Bonaventura and Roberto D’Inverno are thanked for the executions of geotechnical tests. Authors are also grateful to Paolo Plescia, Francesca Trapasso and Emanuela Tempesta of CNR-IGAG for providing data on soil organic matter content.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNR-IGAG, Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria, Rome, Italy

    Alessandro Pagliaroli & Paolo Tommasi

  2. DISG, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale e Geotecnica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy

    Giuseppe Lanzo

  3. CNR-IAMC, Istituto per l’Ambiente Marino e Costiero, Naples, Italy

    Vincenzo Di Fiore

Authors
  1. Alessandro Pagliaroli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Giuseppe Lanzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paolo Tommasi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vincenzo Di Fiore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giuseppe Lanzo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pagliaroli, A., Lanzo, G., Tommasi, P. et al. Dynamic characterization of soils and soft rocks of the Central Archeological Area of Rome. Bull Earthquake Eng 12, 1365–1381 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-013-9452-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-013-9452-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation