Caratterizzazione geologica e litologico-tecnica delle piane del Serchio e della Turrite Secca in prossimità di Castelnuovo di Garfagnana (Lucca)

The paper illustrates the geologic, geomorphic and litho-technical characteristics of the area of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, in northern Tuscany (Italy). In Tuscany, the Regional Administration promotes the VEL (Valutazione Effetti Locali, Local Effects Evaluation) programme in Lunigiana, Garfagnana and Media Valle del Serchio, high seismic risk territories in Massa-Carrara and Lucca Provinces. In detail, this programme is aimed to identify and evaluate homogeneous areas for the local seismic response to an expected earthquake. Thus, the possible effects of such an earthquake on inhabited centres, facilities and lines of communication will be determined. Among the selected villages, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is an ancient little town, a cultural and social-economic pole in the middle-upper Serchio River valley, where many intense earthquakes occurred. Geologic, geomorphic and geotechnical characteristics of the Castelnuovo area were studied, by means of geologic survey, seismic prospecting and borehole logging, which allowed a sound knowledge of surface and underground geologic and geotechnical features of the Castelnuovo area. Such a knowledge provided the seismic modelling of the site with a fundamental basis