Rock-fall hazard assessment in the Siq of Petra, Jordan

Abstract

Rapid onset natural phenomena, such as earthquakes, floods and landslides, pose a major threat to cultural heritage and visitors in Petra The paper reports first results of a feasibility project, in cooperation with UNESCO and PNT, aimed at envisaging the stability conditions of the slope-forming rocks of the Siq that is the spectacular entrance for tourists to the monumental area of Petra. A field analysis was conducted to reconstruct, although preliminarily, the characteristics and orientation of discontinuities, main failure modes of potential unstable blocks, magnitude of phenomena, geomechanical parameters of materials. A first rock-fall hazard assessment has been defined and some potential monitoring techniques have been analyzed. Results will be used for the implementation of a forthcoming project addressed to landslide risk analysis of the Siq, as fundamental management tool of a master plan for sustainable tourist exploitation of the site. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.