Archaeology and geotechnical engineering

摘要

Archaeological sites began to be investigated with scientific methods during the XIX century; geotechnics evolved into an engineering science in the following century, with the development of soil mechanics. Both archaeologists and geotechnical engineers investigate the subsoil, though for different purposes; furthermore since the mid of the XX century the development of construction industry resulted in deeper and deeper excavations, piled foundations, urban tunneling, frequently interfering with the study and preservation of archaeological remains. For a long period, preliminary investigations to avoid irreparable damages to the archaeological heritage were very difficult, also because of the lack of specific regulations.rnIn 1969 the European Convention for the protection of the archaeological heritage claimed for preventive exploration before the works. In fact, England and France soon developed methods and rules to make such investigations timely and rapid, and hence compatible with the economy of industry. In Italy, where more than in any other country the subsoil preserves traces of the previous civilisations, only in 1999 a regulation prescribing archaeological investigations before the start of public works has been issued. During the construction of large infrastructures, hence, if the interference between the archaeological findings and the new structures is not avoidable, archaeology and engineering are obliged to find a meeting point. Furthermore, geotechnical engineering may play a significant role in archaeological excavations and in the safe conservation of monumental buildings and archaeological sites and parks.rnIt is evident that an intervention protocol for an interdisciplinary approach between archaeology and geotechnics needs to be developed, based on real experiences as the ones reported in this paper.