Seismic damage and geological heterogeneity in Rome's Colosseum area: are they related?

Abstract

According to the historical sources, the Colosseum suffered several types of damage related to earthquakes. In particular, the damage is mostly concentrated in the southern portion of the amphitheater where the study of the geological features shows the presence of a Holocene alluvial valley, a situation that is potentially responsible for significant amplification of ground motion during earthquakes. A detailed reconstruction of the subsurface geology in the area of the Colosseum was performed with the purpose of verifyipg whether the heterogeneity of the damage observed could be associated with the variability of the geological conditions of the site where the monument was built.