An integrated approach for analysing earthquake-induced surface effects: a case study in the Montese area (Province of Modena, Northern Apennines, Italy)

This paper describes the “I Lazzari di Maserno” landslide (Northern Apennines, Italy) which resumed its activity on 1st January 1996, following a 3.3 magnitude seismic shock that struck a vast sector of the north-western Apennines. The area is geologically characterised by clastic rock types belonging to Ligurian and epi-Ligurian Units. The landslide is ascribable to a slow, intermittent movement taking place along rotational and rotational-translational surfaces of rupture, accompanied by earth flows in the most superficial portion. During 1996 and in the following years several subsurface investigations and instrumental surveys were carried out; they allowed detailed knowledge of the geometrical, mechanical and kinematic characteristics of the landslide body to be obtained. In particular, the levels of soil subject to load decrease and the depth of the slip surfaces were identified and the mechanisms of rupture were reconstructed.