Events classified as natural hazards and therefore included in this particular field are: surface and deep landslides, rockfall, debris flows, avalanches and flooding.

 

Soil defence is a field which covers all the four main sectors of activity and consists of:

 

In field geomorphological surveys through works in suspension: surveys and inspections in places accessible only by means of climbing, installation of instrumentation for testing the stability of escarpments.

 

Stability calculations of slopes on soil and rock, assessment of volumes involved in the event.

 

Simulation of rockfalls to determine the trajectories and impact energies.

 

Hazard, intensity and danger zones maps rendering.

 

Risk analysis aimed at determining the actual need for intervention.

 

Cost-benefit analysis of safety measures in order to determine their feasibility and priority, as well as the possibility to get Federal subsidies.

 

Design of passive safety measures (i.e., rockfall drapery, ditches and embankments, reinforcement of existing buildings) and active (i.e., removing unstable rocks, water collection, drainage and construction of retaining structures).

 

 

 

Design of soil bioengineering works: slopes stabilization through proper water drainage and construction of retaining structures (reinforced slopes, dry walls, stone gabions, wooden boxes, weirs) and systems for slope vegetation erosion control (Jute matting geotextiles, vegetation cutting, packing,  mattresses, live cribwall and hydroseeding)

 

Drafting of monitoring, control, alarm and evacuation plans.

 

Monitoring movements in soil and rock: investigation methodology and timing planning and interpretation of observed deep and superficial movements (slope instabilities, rockfalls and infrastructure settlement). Measurements can be carried out for instance by means of benchmarks, inclinometers, extensometers, ground penetrating radar (GPR) and LIDAR.

 

Checking and monitoring of existing safety measures.

 

Emergency interventions with 24h on-call service, participation in task forces.