Hydrogeological and geotechnical modeling of the foundation soils of Maredolce Lake in Palermo, aided by geophysical surveys

Abstract

The cultural heritage of Maredolce (Palermo) includes an Arab-Norman castle that originally stood on the shores of an artificial lake carved out of a basin dug out of the calcarenite and filled with water thanks to the channeling of the springs of San Ciro upstream. Subsequently, the lowering of the water table and the high hydraulic permeability of the outcropping rocks caused the lake to dry up. Recently, a project of enhancement of the cultural heritage required the restoration of the lake. The geophysical study presented here, including the integrated use of different techniques such as electrical and seismic tomography, Multichannel Analysis of the Surface Waves and ambient vibration recording, supported by aerial photogrammetry, is aimed at the reconstruction of the hydrogeological and geotechnical model of the subsoil of the ancient lake.