Safeguarding archaeological excavations and preserving cultural heritage in cave environments through engineering geological and geophysical approaches

Cave excavations pose several challenges, notably the stability of surrounding rocks crucial for archaeologists’ safety and site conservation. Engineering geological modells, supported by geophysical investigations, provides effective solutions for rock stability assessment, pivotal in designing safety measures to protect archaeological sites, thereby enhancing accessibility for tourism purposes. This research dealt with a combined engineering geology and geophysics approach for rock stability assessments, incorporating the results into archaeological procedures at the Battifratta Cave (Central Italy). The rock mass characterisation was performed through direct geomechanical surveys and 3D photogrammetric reconstructions. Ambient seismic noise measurements were performed to identify potential subsurface cavities beneath the ground floor, while ambient vibration measurements highlighted prone-to-fall rock blocks. Geophysical techniques have been experienced as a monitoring strategy to support design for archaeological excavation project. More in particular, they allow identifying potential changes in dynamic properties or precursor signals of impending deformation in rock blocks posing a threat to the excavation area. Cross-fertilisation between the Earth Sciences and Cultural Heritage Sciences results in the definition of best practices to be applied in different archaeological contexts.