Numerical modeling applied to a cultural heritage site threatened by rock falls in Tuscany (Italy)

The ancient Calomini hermitage, located in the Garfagnana area, is located on a steep slope facing south, surmounted by an 80 to 130 m high hanging rock wall. The hermitage, a significant example of religious architecture, has been a pilgrimage place since the Middle Ages. The stability and safety of the complex are threatened by rock falls. In the last years, some remedial works have been carried out and wire meshes have been hung on the rock wall, over the hermitage and in the immediate vicinity. Nevertheless, a significant portion of the area was still dangerous and exposed to severe landslide hazard, and several blocks in fact felt down in the last summer. The study described in a first step is a typical example of a multidisciplinary approach in the analysis of the stability of a rock cliff. Then some numerical analyses were performed on some particularly interesting sections using a bi-dimensional distinct-element method.