Monument Rockfall Risk Assessment: A Systematic Approach to Risk Classification in Cultural Heritage Sites

Stone-built cultural heritage sites face significant threats from weathering and environmental stress, leading to structural damage or even total collapse. Consequently, robust monitoring and conservation strategies are essential. This study introduces the Monument Rockfall Risk Assessment (MRRA), a heuristic prioritization framework designed for the rapid ranking of detachment risks in monumental contexts. The MRRA was tested on the Piazzale Michelangelo Ramps in Florence (Italy), which are prone to rockfall hazard due to the presence of unstable blocks made of Pietraforte sandstone. The methodology employs a qualitative-heuristic risk rating approach, considering factors such as joint characteristics, centre of gravity location, and estimated kinetic energy of falling blocks. Susceptibility, vulnerability, and elements at risk were evaluated for each unstable block to calculate a relative risk index, which was then aggregated to determine the overall risk of each coping. The methodology was applied to a recent rockfall event that occurred in 2020 and compared with expert judgement to evaluate the model’s performance in identifying criticalities. Since decisions on defence and restoration works depend on geomechanical, social, and economic factors, this study explores an approach to establish optimal risk rating thresholds for the MRRA methodology, balancing false and missed alarms.