Ricerc@Sapienza

MV underground cable systems are one of the main assets in electrical distribution infrastructures in densely populated urban areas. Experience of several distribution operators (DSOs) has shown an increasing number of failures of MV underground cable joints in the summer period. e-distribuzione, the main Italian DSO, and the University of Roma “La Sapienza” have investigated the causes of these joints failures, ran a temperature measurement campaign on cable joints and performed experimental inspections on both failed and not-failed cable joints.

The historical rock-cut city of Vardzia is a cave monastery site in South-western Georgia, excavated from the tuffaceous layers of the Erusheti mountain. Due to its morphology, the archaeological site is continuously affected by rock instabilities. These pose serious constrains to future conservation, as well as to the safety of tourists. In order to improve knowledge about slope stability issues in the Vardzia site and to develop a proper site specific approach, the present research focuses on the conditions of one of the largest potentially unstable rock-block.