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Earthen barriers to control lava £ows in the 2001 eruption of Mt. Etna
Language
English
Obiettivo Specifico
Status
Published
JCR Journal
JCR Journal
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
/123 (2003)
Publisher
Elsevier
Pages (printed)
231-243
Issued date
2003
Keywords
Abstract
Preceded by four days of intense seismicity and marked ground deformation, a new eruption of Mt. Etna started
on 17 July and lasted until 9 August 2001. It produced lava emission and strombolian and phreatomagmatic activity
from four different main vents located on a complex fracture system extendingfrom the southeast summit cone for
about 4.5 km southwards, from 3000 to 2100 m elevation (a.s.l.). The lava emitted from the lowest vent cut up an
important road on the volcano and destroyed other rural roads and a few isolated country houses. Its front descended
southwards to about 4 km distance from the villages of Nicolosi and Belpasso. A plan of intervention, including
diversion and retainingbarriers and possibly lava flow interruption, was prepared but not activated because the flow
front stopped as a consequence of a decrease in the effusion rate. Extensive interventions were carried out in order to
protect some important tourist facilities of the Sapienza and Mts. Silvestri zones (1900 m elevation) from being
destroyed by the lava emitted from vents located at 2700 m and 2550 m elevation. Thirteen earthen barriers (with a
maximum length of 370 m, height of 10^12 m, base width of 15 m and volume of 25 000 m3) were built to divert the
lava flow away from the facilities towards a path implyingconsiderably less damage. Most of the barriers were
oriented diagonally (110^135‡) to the direction of the flow. They were made of loose material excavated nearby and
worked very nicely, resistingthe thrust of the lava without any difficulty. After the interventions carried out on
Mt. Etna in 1983 and in 1991^1992, those of 2001 confirm that earthen barriers can be very effective in controlling
lava flows.
on 17 July and lasted until 9 August 2001. It produced lava emission and strombolian and phreatomagmatic activity
from four different main vents located on a complex fracture system extendingfrom the southeast summit cone for
about 4.5 km southwards, from 3000 to 2100 m elevation (a.s.l.). The lava emitted from the lowest vent cut up an
important road on the volcano and destroyed other rural roads and a few isolated country houses. Its front descended
southwards to about 4 km distance from the villages of Nicolosi and Belpasso. A plan of intervention, including
diversion and retainingbarriers and possibly lava flow interruption, was prepared but not activated because the flow
front stopped as a consequence of a decrease in the effusion rate. Extensive interventions were carried out in order to
protect some important tourist facilities of the Sapienza and Mts. Silvestri zones (1900 m elevation) from being
destroyed by the lava emitted from vents located at 2700 m and 2550 m elevation. Thirteen earthen barriers (with a
maximum length of 370 m, height of 10^12 m, base width of 15 m and volume of 25 000 m3) were built to divert the
lava flow away from the facilities towards a path implyingconsiderably less damage. Most of the barriers were
oriented diagonally (110^135‡) to the direction of the flow. They were made of loose material excavated nearby and
worked very nicely, resistingthe thrust of the lava without any difficulty. After the interventions carried out on
Mt. Etna in 1983 and in 1991^1992, those of 2001 confirm that earthen barriers can be very effective in controlling
lava flows.
Sponsors
Elsevier
References
Acocella, V., Billi, A., Catalano, S., De Guidi, G., Ferlito, C.,
Funiciello, R., Giordano, G., Lanzafame, G., Monaco, C.,
Neri, M., Privitera, A., Tortorici, L., 2001. The etnean eruption
of July-August 2001: structural observations. In: GNV,
Assemblea 1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, pp. 218^219.
Aloisi, M., Bonaccorso, A., Mattia, M., 2001. Modelingof the
dyke emplacement leadingto the Etna July 2001 eruption:
preliminary results from continuous tilt and GPS data. In:
GNV, Assemblea 1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, p. 235.
Barberi, F., Villari, L., 1984. Mt. Etna and its 1983 eruption.
Bull. Volcanol. 47, 877^1177.
Barberi, F., Carapezza, M.L., Valenza, M., Villari, L., 1993.
The control of lava £ow duringthe 1991^1992 eruption of
Mt. Etna. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 56, 1^34.
Behncke, B., Neri, M., 2003. The July-August 2001 eruption of
Mount Etna (Sicily). Bull. Volcanol. (in press).
Calvari, S., Pinkerton, H., 1999. Lava tube morphology on
Etna and evidence for lava £ow emplacement mechanisms.
J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 90, 263^280.
Calvari, S., Frazzetta, G., Lodato, L., Andronico, D., Branca,
S., Garf|', G., 2001. The 2001 £ank eruption at Mount Etna.
In: GNV, Assemblea 1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, pp.
228^229.
Chester, D.K., Duncan, A.M., Guest, J.E., Kilburn, C.R.J.,
1985. Mount Etna: The Anatomy of a Volcano. Chapman
and Hall, London, 404 pp.
Colombrita, R., 1984. Methodology for the construction of
earth barriers to divert lava £ows: the Mt. Etna 1983 eruption.
Bull. Volcanol. 47, 1009^1038.
Crisci, G.M., Di Gregorio, S., Rongo, R., Spataro, W., 2001.
Simulation of the 2001 Etnean crisis by ‘Sciara’. In: GNV,
Assemblea 1‡ anno (Poster session), abstract, pp. 213^214.
Francis, P., 1993. Volcanoes. A Planetary Perspective. Clarendon
Press, Oxford, 443 pp.
Hulme, G., 1974. The interpretation of lava £ow morphology.
Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 39, 361^383.
Kilburn, C.R.J., Lopez, R.M.C., 1988. The growth of lava
£ow ¢elds on Mt. Etna, Sicily. J. Geophys. Res. 93,
14759^14772.
Lyell, C., 1875. Principles of Geology, XII edn. John Murray,
London.
Macdonald, G.A., 1962. The 1959 and 1960 eruptions of Kilauea
volcano, Hawaii and the construction of walls to restrict
the spread of the lava £ow. Bull. Volcanol. 2, 249^
294.
Macdonald, G.A., 1975. Volcanic hazard. In: Geological Hazards.
Springer, New York, 328 pp.
Pareschi, M.T., Cavarra, L., Favalli, M., Innocenti, F., Mazzarini,
F., Pasquare', G., 1999. Digital atlas of the Mt. Etna
volcano. Acta Vulcanol. 11, 311^314.
Patane', D., Puglisi, G., Bonforte, A., Maiolino, V., 2001. Inferences
on magma uprising at Mt. Etna (Italy) by seismic
and GPS ground deformation data. In: GNV, Assemblea 1‡
anno (poster session), abstract, p. 251.
Pieri, D.C., Baloga, S., 1986. Eruption rate, area, and length
relationship for some Hawaiian lava £ows. J. Volcanol.
Geotherm. Res. 30, 29^45.
Privitera, E., Alparone, S., D’Amico, S., Gambino, S., Maiolino,
V., Spampinato, S., Zuccarello, L., 2001. Seismic evidence
of magma intrusion at intermediate depth before the
July-August 2001 Mt. Etna (Italy) eruption. In: GNV, Assemblea
1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, p. 215.
Shimozuru, D., 1988. Role of the coordinatingcommi ttee,
hazard mitigation and evacuation. In: The 1986^1987 Eruption
of Izu-Oshima Volcano. Earthquake Research Institute,
University of Tokyo, Tokyo, pp. 54^59.
Tazie¡, H., 1977. An exceptional eruption: Mt. Niragongo,
January 10th, 1977. Bull. Volcanol. 40, 189^200.
Wadge, G., 1981. The variation of magma discharge during
basaltic eruption. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 11, 139^168.
Walker, G.P.L., 1978. Lengths of lava £ows. Phil. Trans. R.
Soc. London Ser. A 274, 107^118.
Wright, R., Blake, S., Harris, A.J.L., Rothery, D.A., 2001. A
simple explanation for the space-based calculation of lava
eruption rates. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 192, 223^233.
Funiciello, R., Giordano, G., Lanzafame, G., Monaco, C.,
Neri, M., Privitera, A., Tortorici, L., 2001. The etnean eruption
of July-August 2001: structural observations. In: GNV,
Assemblea 1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, pp. 218^219.
Aloisi, M., Bonaccorso, A., Mattia, M., 2001. Modelingof the
dyke emplacement leadingto the Etna July 2001 eruption:
preliminary results from continuous tilt and GPS data. In:
GNV, Assemblea 1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, p. 235.
Barberi, F., Villari, L., 1984. Mt. Etna and its 1983 eruption.
Bull. Volcanol. 47, 877^1177.
Barberi, F., Carapezza, M.L., Valenza, M., Villari, L., 1993.
The control of lava £ow duringthe 1991^1992 eruption of
Mt. Etna. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 56, 1^34.
Behncke, B., Neri, M., 2003. The July-August 2001 eruption of
Mount Etna (Sicily). Bull. Volcanol. (in press).
Calvari, S., Pinkerton, H., 1999. Lava tube morphology on
Etna and evidence for lava £ow emplacement mechanisms.
J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 90, 263^280.
Calvari, S., Frazzetta, G., Lodato, L., Andronico, D., Branca,
S., Garf|', G., 2001. The 2001 £ank eruption at Mount Etna.
In: GNV, Assemblea 1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, pp.
228^229.
Chester, D.K., Duncan, A.M., Guest, J.E., Kilburn, C.R.J.,
1985. Mount Etna: The Anatomy of a Volcano. Chapman
and Hall, London, 404 pp.
Colombrita, R., 1984. Methodology for the construction of
earth barriers to divert lava £ows: the Mt. Etna 1983 eruption.
Bull. Volcanol. 47, 1009^1038.
Crisci, G.M., Di Gregorio, S., Rongo, R., Spataro, W., 2001.
Simulation of the 2001 Etnean crisis by ‘Sciara’. In: GNV,
Assemblea 1‡ anno (Poster session), abstract, pp. 213^214.
Francis, P., 1993. Volcanoes. A Planetary Perspective. Clarendon
Press, Oxford, 443 pp.
Hulme, G., 1974. The interpretation of lava £ow morphology.
Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 39, 361^383.
Kilburn, C.R.J., Lopez, R.M.C., 1988. The growth of lava
£ow ¢elds on Mt. Etna, Sicily. J. Geophys. Res. 93,
14759^14772.
Lyell, C., 1875. Principles of Geology, XII edn. John Murray,
London.
Macdonald, G.A., 1962. The 1959 and 1960 eruptions of Kilauea
volcano, Hawaii and the construction of walls to restrict
the spread of the lava £ow. Bull. Volcanol. 2, 249^
294.
Macdonald, G.A., 1975. Volcanic hazard. In: Geological Hazards.
Springer, New York, 328 pp.
Pareschi, M.T., Cavarra, L., Favalli, M., Innocenti, F., Mazzarini,
F., Pasquare', G., 1999. Digital atlas of the Mt. Etna
volcano. Acta Vulcanol. 11, 311^314.
Patane', D., Puglisi, G., Bonforte, A., Maiolino, V., 2001. Inferences
on magma uprising at Mt. Etna (Italy) by seismic
and GPS ground deformation data. In: GNV, Assemblea 1‡
anno (poster session), abstract, p. 251.
Pieri, D.C., Baloga, S., 1986. Eruption rate, area, and length
relationship for some Hawaiian lava £ows. J. Volcanol.
Geotherm. Res. 30, 29^45.
Privitera, E., Alparone, S., D’Amico, S., Gambino, S., Maiolino,
V., Spampinato, S., Zuccarello, L., 2001. Seismic evidence
of magma intrusion at intermediate depth before the
July-August 2001 Mt. Etna (Italy) eruption. In: GNV, Assemblea
1‡ anno (poster session), abstract, p. 215.
Shimozuru, D., 1988. Role of the coordinatingcommi ttee,
hazard mitigation and evacuation. In: The 1986^1987 Eruption
of Izu-Oshima Volcano. Earthquake Research Institute,
University of Tokyo, Tokyo, pp. 54^59.
Tazie¡, H., 1977. An exceptional eruption: Mt. Niragongo,
January 10th, 1977. Bull. Volcanol. 40, 189^200.
Wadge, G., 1981. The variation of magma discharge during
basaltic eruption. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 11, 139^168.
Walker, G.P.L., 1978. Lengths of lava £ows. Phil. Trans. R.
Soc. London Ser. A 274, 107^118.
Wright, R., Blake, S., Harris, A.J.L., Rothery, D.A., 2001. A
simple explanation for the space-based calculation of lava
eruption rates. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 192, 223^233.
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