Geomechanical analysis for heritage conservation: development and application of a novel point cloud-based methodology for rockfall susceptibility and stability

Historic stone buildings increasingly face material detachment risks from weathering and discontinuity evolution. Traditional conservation practices lack systematic approaches for assessing detachment risk and visitor safety. This research develops a novel diagnostic methodology adapting geomechanical principles from rock slope stability analysis to architectural heritage conservation. The methodology treats architectural stone elements as rock masses characterized by geological parameters, that can be used to perform kinematic and dynamic analysis of different failure mechanisms. Central to this methodology is RoDiAn (Rock Discontinuity Analyzer), a custom software developed to overcome fun- damental limitations of commercial slope stability tools when applied to finite architectural elements. Unlike conventional software that assumes semi-infinite slope geometries and defines discontinuities solely through angular parameters, RoDiAn incorporates spatial positioning of planes within three-dimensional space, needed for accurate identification of wedge formations and facade interactions specific to individual building blocks. To provide a quantitative prioritization criteria for conservation interventions, the research uses a Kinematic Susceptibility Index (KSI) adapted from rock mass classification systems. The dynamic analysis functions of RoDiAn can calculate block volumes, sliding areas, and safety factors, to support engineering design of stabilization systems. The methodology was applied to three Florentine monuments: Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, and Palazzo Zuccari, and shows the ability to adapt to different case studies and architectural contexts.