Abstract
The paper shows the results of geomorphological and engineering-geological investigations carried out along the north-western coast of the Island of Malta, with special emphasis on landslides. Field surveys and aerial-photo interpretation allowed the recognition, identification and mapping of a series of landslides of different type and size, some of which showing evidence of activity. Coastal instability in the studied area is deeply controlled by structural factors, such as tectonic and stratigraphic ones. The research envisaged a multidisciplinary approach, which also included landslide monitoring in specific sites which were selected for detailed investigations, owing to the peculiarity of the instability processes occurring and for the related hazard and risk conditions. The paper outlines the research phases and the results achieved which proved to be fruitful thanks to the application of different methodologies for the study of coastal landslides. Particular attention has been paid to rock spreading phenomena, which are widespread along the north-western coast of Malta due to the superimposition of limestones over clayey terrains.
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Acknowledgments
The research activities were funded by (1) the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement of the Council of Europe through the European Centre on Geomorphological Hazards (CERG) in the frame of the project “Coastline at risk: methods for multi-hazard assessment” (Co-ordinator M. Soldati) and (2) the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Modena within the project “Multidisciplinary research in the open-air laboratory of the island of Malta: an international network for landslide hazard assessment in coastal areas” (Co-ordinator M. Soldati).
The Authors are grateful to Dr. Simon Mercieca, Director of the Mediterranean Institute of the University of Malta, for the continuous support offered.
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Devoto, S. et al. (2013). Landslides Along the North-West Coast of the Island of Malta. In: Margottini, C., Canuti, P., Sassa, K. (eds) Landslide Science and Practice. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31325-7_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31325-7_7
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