National database of underground cavities and sinkholes in Italian urban areas

The project stems from the need to collect, organize, and harmonize information regarding underground cavities and ground collapse events affecting numerous Italian cities. In many urban settings, the presence of natural and man-made cavities—often extending beneath the built-up area—can act as a predisposing factor for subsurface instability.

The National Database of Underground Cavities and Sinkholes in Italian Urban Centers compiles information from historical archives, technical and geological maps, scientific studies, documentation from local authorities, field surveys, photo-interpretation, and institutional databases. The data are georeferenced and organized according to standardized criteria to ensure comparability, ease of updating, and integration at a national scale.

Initial efforts focused on cities characterized by extensive underground cavities and documented ground collapse phenomena, including Rome, Naples, Palermo, Trieste, Cagliari, Viterbo, Rieti, and several historic towns in the Lazio region. Dedicated databases were created or updated for these areas to reconstruct the knowledge base regarding the urban subsurface and to identify key geological hazards.