Numerical code calibration for the back analysis of debris flow runout in southern Italy

Flow-like mass movements are one of the most serious natural hazards, systematically producing huge damages to the lifelines and several victims, especially in southern Italy. This is the case of the events occurred in Favazzina village (Southern Italy), when in 2001 and 2005 rainfall induced landslides have interrupted many lifelines (road SS18, railway, highway A3). The identification of source areas (weathered soils distribution) and an advanced modelling of debris flows could provide a valuable tool to improve the understanding of triggering mechanism of debris flows, the capability to forecast these landslides and the evaluation of the mobilized volume inside the source area, which is a crucial point for hazard and risk assessment and zoning. As a contribution to the topic, this paper proposes a calibration of rheological laws in a numerical code for the back analysis of debris flow runout in Southern Italy.