Preliminary characterization of the volcanoclastic material involved in the 2002 landslides at Stromboli

In the paper the first results of the geotechnical characterization of the volcanoclastic materials involved in the huge Dec. 30th 2002 landslides at the Stromboli volcano (Southern Italy) are reported. Firstly the physical characteristics of the aggregate and the petrographic, physical and mechanical characteristics of the grains are discussed. Successively, results of direct shear and oedometer compression tests on dry reconstituted specimens in a large direct shear apparatus are presented. Shear strength data are finally analysed on the basis of two non-linear strength criteria, usually adopted for coarse-grained materials.