The peat deposit of the subsiding Zennare Basin, south of the Venice Lagoon,
Italy: Geotechnical classification and preliminary mineralogical characterization
P. Gatti, M. Bonardi, L. Tosi, F. Rizzetto
Istituto per lo Studio della Dinamica delle Grandi Masse, CNR, Venezia,
Italy
A. Fornasiero, G. Gambolati, M. Putti, P. Teatini
Dept. Mathematical Methods and Models for Scientific
Applications, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
ABSTRACT
This study is part of the VOSS Project (Venice Organic Soil Subsidence)
and deals with the geotechnical classification and a preliminary
mineralogical characterization of peat soils of the experimental site in the
Zennare Basin. The scope is to better understand the correlation between
peat oxidation and loss in ground elevation.
For the geotechnical characterization a visual classification and the von
Post classification were used. A preliminary mineralogical characterization
was done using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM).
The peat in the experimental site is formed by vegetal deposits and can
be distinguished in two levels: a completely decomposed amorphous granular
top level and a slightly decomposed fibrous bottom level with a
higher organic content. The limit between the two levels corresponds to
the depth to which the plough furrows.
