Analysis of the local seismic hazard for the stability tests of the main bank of the Po River (northern Italy)

This paper presents the methodology and the results of the local seismic analyses, performed in the bank areas of the Po River (Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna regions, northern Italy) characterized by the highest seismic hazard and finalized for the seismic stability analyses of the banks themselves. The proposed methodology includes the following steps: collection of the pre-existing information and geologic maps; deployment of in-situ investigations by collecting soil samples for geotechnical laboratory tests; definition of the geologic-geophysical and geotechnical model; individuation of the expected seismic inputs; analyses of local seismic response. In this paper, we mainly discuss the results obtained in order to illustrate how the methodology employed enables the definition of the local seismic hazard and allows performing the future stability analyses of the banks. The results are given in term of amplification factors, expected accelerograms and acceleration response spectra modified by the litho-stratigraphic characteristics of the sites.