Site Characterization at the Catania City, Italy

Site characterization is required for the identification of ground types and the associated response spectra as well as for requirements for siting and foundation soils. Requirements for siting regard slope stability and potentially liquefiable soils. Foundation soils regard mostly foundation system, soil-structure interaction and retaining structures. Ground investigation and studies must be designed according to the geotechnical problems to be solved. In this paper the applicability of EC8 is discussed for the site characterization of the city of Catania (Italy), for identification of ground types and microzonation and for evaluation of slope stability, liquefaction potential and foundation stability, including soil-structure interaction.