Rockfall hazard assessment along a road on the Peloritani Mountains (northeastern Sicily, Italy)

A hazard assessment has been performed on rockslopes impending over a segment of the Taorminese Road,which connects two popular tourist destinations in northeasternSicily: the urban centers of Taormina and Castelmola.The road crosses steep rock slopes with a complex geologicaland tectonic history. The section of the road close toCastelmola is often affected by rockfall phenomena, causinginjury to people and serious damage to buildings and traffic.The study analyzes the geostructural setting of the unstablerock masses, by evaluating their mechanical propertiesand the kinematics of potential failures. Rockfall simulationsconfirm that falling rocks would involve the TaormineseRoad with different kinetic energy rates and prove useful forsuggesting the most suitable mitigation technologies for futureremedial works. The modified Rockfall Hazard RatingSystem has been applied to highlight the different levels ofhazard along the road. The compiled hazard map shows thatportions of the slopes need urgent remedial works, especiallybecause Taorminese is the only access road to Castelmolaand its interruption would lead to the isolation of the villa