Rock instability and rockfalls are commonly preceded by the initiation and propagation of cracks. This process is accompanied by the release of microseismic energy, which can be detected by means of an appropriate monitoring system. Because an increase in rockfall events have been observed in the Matterhorn Peak area since 2003, in 2007 a microseismic monitoring system and a thermometric monitoring system were installed on the Italian side of the Matterhorn peak, close to the J. A. Carrel hut, as part of the Interreg IIIA Alcotra “PERMAdataROC” project. The objective of the installation was to determine whether this instability increase was connected to climatic fluctuations. Detailed analysis of the recorded microseismic data shows a spatial concentration of microseismic activity on the western side of the investigated slope, and a correlation of these data with thermal information shows that the temporal concentration of the microseismic activity could be traced back to the transitions from warm to cold periods. Cold periods, characterized by a continuous and rapid temperature decrease in time, incurred a higher average daily number of microseismic events.

Analysis of climatic influences on slope microseismic activity and rockfalls: case study of the Matterhorn peak (Northwestern Alps) / Occhiena, Cristina; Pirulli, Marina. - In: JOURNAL OF GEOTECHNICAL AND GEOENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING. - ISSN 1090-0241. - STAMPA. - 138:8(2012), pp. 1012-1021. [10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000662]

Analysis of climatic influences on slope microseismic activity and rockfalls: case study of the Matterhorn peak (Northwestern Alps)

OCCHIENA, CRISTINA;PIRULLI, MARINA
2012

Abstract

Rock instability and rockfalls are commonly preceded by the initiation and propagation of cracks. This process is accompanied by the release of microseismic energy, which can be detected by means of an appropriate monitoring system. Because an increase in rockfall events have been observed in the Matterhorn Peak area since 2003, in 2007 a microseismic monitoring system and a thermometric monitoring system were installed on the Italian side of the Matterhorn peak, close to the J. A. Carrel hut, as part of the Interreg IIIA Alcotra “PERMAdataROC” project. The objective of the installation was to determine whether this instability increase was connected to climatic fluctuations. Detailed analysis of the recorded microseismic data shows a spatial concentration of microseismic activity on the western side of the investigated slope, and a correlation of these data with thermal information shows that the temporal concentration of the microseismic activity could be traced back to the transitions from warm to cold periods. Cold periods, characterized by a continuous and rapid temperature decrease in time, incurred a higher average daily number of microseismic events.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2439066
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