Characterization of a rock avalanche deposit for risk assessment in the town of Celano (Fucino Basin, Central Italy)

Abstract. This paper describes multidisciplinary investigations carried out in the urban centre of Celano, a small town located at the northern edge of the Fucino Basin (Central Italy). The town lies upon a wide debris body that was recognized in this study as a rock avalanche deposit estimated to date to the Holocene. Geomorphologic studies and geophysical investigations led to a detailed characterization of the landslide deposit and the surrounding units. The information obtained was used to assess the vulnerability of the Celano municipal area, by evaluating the stability of the landslide body and the behaviour of its lithologies under seismic loads.