The safety of an industrial archaeological heritage: The underground quarries in Marsala (Sicily)

The present paper analyses an underground and inactive quarry of calcarenite, which belong to a localised area called Cave di calcarenite in Contrada Cuccidenna that has been recognised as a typical example of industrial archaeological heritage. The study of this typical quarry is finalised to the preservation and safe fruition of this site, which represents the history of manufacturing technologies of rocky ashlars. Rock samples from the pillars have been collected and, at first, a petrographic characterisation has been performed. The strength parameters have been estimated by means of triaxial and isotropic compression tests. Through a finite element analysis, the mechanical characterization has been then used to assess the stability and safety conditions of the structure. The influence of several parameters has been considered: e.g. mesostructure of the rock mass, shape of the underground quarry and effects, in close areas, of human interventions.