Pergamon zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA J. Geodynamics Vol. 26, No. 2-4, pp. 41341, 1998 0 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd All rights reserved. Printed in Great Britain PII: SO264-3707(97)00047-l 02%3707/98 $19.00+0.00 AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR ANALYSING EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED SURFACE EFFECTS: A CASE STUDY FROM THE NORTHERN APENNINES, ITALY D. CASTALDINI I* R. GENEVOIS,2 M. PANIZZA,’ A. PUCCINELLI,’ M. BERTI and A. SIMONI ‘Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Modena University, Largo S. Eufemia 19,411OO Modena, Italy ‘Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologic0 Ambientali, Bologna University, Via Zamboni 67, 40100 Bologna, Italy ‘Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Pisa University, Via S. Maria 53, 56100 Pisa, Italy. zyxwvutsrqponml (Received 4 December 1996; revised 8 July 1997; accepted 29 July 1997) Abstract-This paper illustrates research addressing the subject of the earthquake-induced surface effects by means of a multidisciplinary approach: tectonics, neotectonics, seis- mology, geology, hydrogeology, geomorphology, soil/rock mechanics have been considered. The research is aimed to verify in areas affected by earthquake-triggered land- slides a methodology for the identification of potentially unstable areas. The research was organized according to regional and local scale studies. In order to better emphasise the complexity of the relationships between all the parameters affecting the stability conditions of rock slopes in static and dynamic conditions a new integrated approach, Rock Engin- eering Systems (RES), was applied in the Northern Apennines. In the paper, the different phases of the research are described in detail and an example of the application of RES method in a sample area is reported. A significant aspect of the study can be seen in its attempt to overcome the exclusively qualitative aspects of research into the relationship between earthquakes and induced surface effects, and to advance the idea of beginning a process by which this interaction can be quantified. 0 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved INTRODUCTION Earthquake-induced surface effects (e.g. landslides, fault scarps, ground fissures, land swell- ing) have caused tens of thousands of deaths and thousands of million USD in losses worldwide in this century; in many earthquakes, the resulting surface effects have caused as much or more damages than other effects of seismic shaking. The Italian territory, _ *Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed: Tel.: 0039 59 417267; Fax: 0039 59 417399; E-mail: castaldi@:unimo.it. 413