Rockfall trajectory modeling combined with heuristic analysis for assessing the rockfall hazard along the Maratea SS18 coastal road (Basilicata, Southern Italy)

In this paper, a study aimed to assess the rockfall hazard along a portion of the SS18 coastal road, located in the coastal area of Maratea (Basilicata Region, Southern Italy), is presented. The relevance of this study derives from the location of the study area, because the SS18 is a strategic roads in a touristic area, and, since the hazard assessment was performed in 2004 within a project financed by the Viability Regional Department of Autonomous National Company of Roads (ANAS), from the possibility to validate the results by using real rockfall events occurred after 2004. The procedure for assessing the rockfall hazard was composed of four sequential analyses: (i) geomechanical and kinematic characterization of rock mass, (ii) implementation of Romana’s (1985) Slope Mass Rating (SMR) method for identifying the potential boulder release areas (rockfall initiation areas), (iii) determination of rockfall trajectories by using a 3D numerical model (ROTOMAP), (iv) calculation and mapping of the hazard index by combining three factors, i.e., (a) lithological features of outcropping materials on rock faces, (b) kinematic compatibility defined by simulating the rockfall trajectories, and (c) spatial distribution of occurred rockfall events. Finally, the proposed methodology was validated by combining the distribution of the hazard levels along the road with the location on the SS18 of the rockfall events occurred from 2004 to 2014.