Itria Valley (Apulia, Italy): technological properties of a limestone used for traditional buildings

The “Trulli of Alberobello” are in the UNESCO world heritage list and those rural constructions, built in dry mode, are widely spread in the Itria Valley (Apulia, south of Italy). From a geological point of view Itria valley is mostly made up of limestone representing a durable and precious source for stone constructions. The aim of this work is to correlate the geological aspects of a portion of an Apulian territory named Itria Valley with their heritage sites. The most common rural stone constructions are “Trulli”, built with “Chiancarelle”, a limestone associated to Sannicandro level (Turonian age), between Bari and Altamura formation. “Chiancarelle”, locally extracted probably from temporary quarries in the vicinity of the rural buildings, were installed either in dry technique or by means a particular mortar based on lime and bolus (red earth). Nowadays the “Chiancarelle” needed for the restoration works of the “Trulli” have a different origin coming from quarries located in the Itria valley. The aim of this work is to compare the petrographic and physical-mechanical propertie sof the ancient stones used in “Trulli” with those of a limestone exploited as ornamental stone nearby.