Landslide protection of the historical heritage in Odessa (Ukraine)

Abstract

This study focuses on the specifics of modern geological conditions and deformations of landslide-affected slopes within the historical center of the city of Odessa. Landslide protection was developed in the 19th century and during 1960s on adjacent coastal areas, according to urban planning and landslide protection plans. The historical center was formed around the Odessa port and includes several unique architectural monuments such as the 142-m-long Potemkin Stairs, Primorsky Boulevard, and the Odessa Opera Theater. Architectural and urban planning designs in the city include landslide protection and preventive measures. Results of landslide studies show that landslide development along the Odessa coast is influenced primarily by tectonic movements and the heterogeneity of the geological substrata. All historical and contemporary protective and preventive landslide measures maintain their engineering geological integrity and effectiveness despite the differences in time of their construction and design. © Springer-Verlag 2006.