Analysis of the Seismic Site Effects along the Ancient Via Laurentina (Rome)

Abstract

This paper presents an evaluation of the Local Seismic Response (LSR) along the route of the ancient Roman road Via Laurentina, which has been exposed in several areas of southwest Rome over the last decade during the construction of new buildings and infrastructures. It is an example of LSR analysis applied to ancient and archaeological sites located in alluvial valleys with some methodological inferences for the design of infrastructure and urban planning. Since the ancient road does not cross the alluvial valley (namely the Fosso di Vallerano Valley) normal to its sides, it was not possible to directly perform 2D numerical modelling to evaluate the LSR along the road route. Therefore, outputs of 2D numerical models, obtained along three cross sections that were normal oriented respect to the valley, were projected along the route of the Via Laurentina within a reliable buffer attributed according to an available high-resolution geological model of the local subsoil. The modelled amplification functions consider physical effects due to both the 2D shape of the valley and the heterogeneities of the alluvial deposits. The 1D and 2D amplification functions were compared to output that non-negligible effects are related to the narrow shape of the fluvial valley and the lateral contacts between the lithotecnical units composing the alluvial fill. The here experienced methodology is suitable for applications to the numerical modelling of seismic response in case of linear infrastructures (i.e., roads, bridges, railways) that do not cross the natural system along physically characteristic directions (i.e. longitudinally or transversally).