Rockfall risk mitigation in the Alps

In the Alpine cryosphere, thermo-mechanical stresses induced by rock temperature fluctuations promote crack initiation and propagation, predisposing rock faces to failure. Over the past decades, an increase in rockfall activity has been documented and is often attributed to atmospheric warming. However, the in situ relationship between air and rock temperature remains poorly constrained, while a comprehensive understanding of heat transfer in rock masses and their thermophysical properties is crucial for effective rockfall risk mitigation. This issue is being investigated in the Bessanese high-elevation experimental basin (Western Italian Alps) with the following objectives: (i) deploy metrologically validated Internet of Things (IoT) devices for continuous in situ monitoring of key parameters preconditioning rockfalls; (ii) develop an accurate heat transfer model in rock masses to support rockfall risk mitigation in the Alpine cryosphere; (iii) establish a high-elevation monitoring site in rockfall-prone areas to validate the model and measure rock temperature at different depths (10, 30, and 50 cm); and (iv) create a web portal to display monitoring data in near real time.