The city of Gjirokastër, located in the southern part of Albania, few kilometers from the border with Greece and from the port of Saranda is one of the main cities of this country in the aspect of economic and cultural development. The location, cultural heritage and the economic potential are some of the main factors that make of Gjirokastër an important region. Due to the characteristic Ottoman architecture, since 2005, the old part of the city has also been part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. Many studies conducted by Albanian and non-Albanian planners, architects, archeologist and engineers amongst others Emin Riza with its book “City- Museum of Gjirokastër” emphasize the importance and values the city has. The fall of communism and the events in post 90s unfortunately had a negative impact in the city; many demographical changes, lack of funds and proper projects are putting in danger the city and its cultural values. The Old Bazaar and the Fortress are two of the main and most distinguished sites in the town which nowadays can be seen as the main poles from which the revitalization of the city can begin. The Fortress, extending on a rocky hill, is the biggest and one of the oldest constructions in Gjirokastër and due to its superior position relative to the other parts with an elevation around 336 meters serves as an important landmark that divides the city in two parts. The hill where the fortress is located may be prone to several geotechnical hazards like erosion, instability and rock falling due to natural factors including winds, water and earthquake since studies show that the seismic activity of the area varies from 5.5- 6.5 in Richter scale and due to human factors that are related to the unplanned development and interventions in the nearby area mainly for infrastructural reasons, which can affect the initial stability of the slope. Since the fortress is one of the most representative sites of the city and can be considered a main pole of accessibility it is vital to preserve and protect it from potential hazards that affect the structural stability. Through this paper using relevant literature related to geotechnical hazards, hazards assessment and mitigation, geotechnical site investigation data together with computational modelling I want to identify the potential hazards of the rocky slope where the fortress is located and the consequent effects in the fortress itself. Based on the results provided by the analysis, related to the potential and mechanism of failure, different stabilization methods can be proposed to prevent further problems that can greatly affect the fortress and the nearby area.

Gjirokastër fortress hillside. Geotechnical hazards assessment and stabilization measures as key factors for the fortress preservation

Endri Duro
Primo
2021

Abstract

The city of Gjirokastër, located in the southern part of Albania, few kilometers from the border with Greece and from the port of Saranda is one of the main cities of this country in the aspect of economic and cultural development. The location, cultural heritage and the economic potential are some of the main factors that make of Gjirokastër an important region. Due to the characteristic Ottoman architecture, since 2005, the old part of the city has also been part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. Many studies conducted by Albanian and non-Albanian planners, architects, archeologist and engineers amongst others Emin Riza with its book “City- Museum of Gjirokastër” emphasize the importance and values the city has. The fall of communism and the events in post 90s unfortunately had a negative impact in the city; many demographical changes, lack of funds and proper projects are putting in danger the city and its cultural values. The Old Bazaar and the Fortress are two of the main and most distinguished sites in the town which nowadays can be seen as the main poles from which the revitalization of the city can begin. The Fortress, extending on a rocky hill, is the biggest and one of the oldest constructions in Gjirokastër and due to its superior position relative to the other parts with an elevation around 336 meters serves as an important landmark that divides the city in two parts. The hill where the fortress is located may be prone to several geotechnical hazards like erosion, instability and rock falling due to natural factors including winds, water and earthquake since studies show that the seismic activity of the area varies from 5.5- 6.5 in Richter scale and due to human factors that are related to the unplanned development and interventions in the nearby area mainly for infrastructural reasons, which can affect the initial stability of the slope. Since the fortress is one of the most representative sites of the city and can be considered a main pole of accessibility it is vital to preserve and protect it from potential hazards that affect the structural stability. Through this paper using relevant literature related to geotechnical hazards, hazards assessment and mitigation, geotechnical site investigation data together with computational modelling I want to identify the potential hazards of the rocky slope where the fortress is located and the consequent effects in the fortress itself. Based on the results provided by the analysis, related to the potential and mechanism of failure, different stabilization methods can be proposed to prevent further problems that can greatly affect the fortress and the nearby area.
2021
978-9928-4459-8-8
978-9928-347-04-6
accessibility, factor of safety, natural hazards, modelling, preservation, slope stability
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11392/2485911
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