A new methodological approach to assess the stability of discontinuous rocky cliffs using in-situ surveys supported by UAV-based techniques and 3D finite element model: a case study

This paper aims to present a new methodological approach for the stability assessment of coastal cliffs constituted of discontinuous rock masses. The method entails in situ specific geostructural and geomechanical surveys, three-dimensional UAV-based Photogrammetric structural models, laboratory geotechnical tests and, two- and three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEM). The application of the method to a case study is then presented and discussed; it regards a 600 m long sea rocky cliff located at Sant'Andrea (Melendugno, South of Apulia, SE Italy) and faced to the southern Adriatic Sea. Here the cliff is made up of an about 15 m-thick sequence of laminate calcisiltites alternate with bioturbated calcarenites belonging to the Uggiano la Chiesa Fm. (Middle-Upper Pliocene). The structural discontinuities detected with photogrammetry techniques were compared and validated with those derived from conventional in situ survey methods. Later on, the paper discusses assumptions and results of two- and three-dimensional finite element models developed to investigate the potential failure mechanisms of the sea cliff accounting for pre-existing weak planes or discontinuities with unfavourable orientation. The failure mechanisms obtained by both FEM analysis agree well with those typically observed in the study area.