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Abstract

Each year, rainfall events trigger a large number of landslides causing damage and victims. The study and prediction of these phenomena are of particular importance. At the CamiLab laboratory of the University of Calabria, a large artificial channel was built with the aim to reproduce landslides triggered by rainfall, analyze the correlated measurements, and observe post-failure evolution. The physical model is equipped with sensor systems to measure the main physical parameters which govern deformation and failure processes, a video recording system, lasers to measure displacements, and devices to measure the velocities involved. This paper deals with the analysis of factors influencing the occurrence of flow-like landslides in pyroclastic soils, focusing on the mud flows that occurred on 5 May 1998 in Sarno, Campania region (Southern Italy). For proper interpretation of the results, appropriate calibration techniques of sensors were set up and developed in advance and subsequently experimental tests were conducted with homogeneous volcanic ash of different porosity. The analysis has highlighted the role of porosity in the evolution of the instabilities in these volcanic soils.