Italferr main sponsor of GEOVIEWS 2025

On 10 and 11 June, the second edition of GEOVIEWS was held on the theme of “Structural Geology and its Relationship with Rock Mechanics”. This international event was organised by the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG) and the professional Association of Geologists of Liguria, under the patronage of the National Council of Geologists, the Municipality of Savona, the University of Genoa (DISTAV) and the Association of Geologists of Piedmont. Italferr played a central role as the main sponsor of the conference, with the participation of the geologists Gianluca Benedetti and Eugenio Poggi as members of the Scientific Committee.

The two-day event was held in the inspiring setting of Savona's historic Priamar Fortress (the name means ‘rock on the sea’), in the Sala della Sibilla, and featured high-level presentations by authoritative national and international speakers on the topics of structural geology and geomechanics. The Scientific Committee had selected professors and design engineers from the academic and professional world, with experience and participation in case studies relating to the development of innovative techniques and methods in numerous countries, including Italy, the United States, Canada, Peru, Mongolia, Serbia, Morocco, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, etc. This fostered stimulating technical debates between speakers and attendees, all experts in the field, thus deepening their knowledge of how the various methods of analysis of the quality and stability of rock masses and their relationship with rock mechanics can be applied to improve the efficiency of sustainable design.

The workshop opened with the institutional greetings of Elisa Di Padova, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Savona, Prof. Claudio Margottini, President of the IAEG, Arcangelo Francesco Violo, President of the National Council of Geologists, Gianluca Benedetti, Head of the Engineering Geology Team at Italferr and Alessandro Scarpati, President of the Regional Association of Geologists of Liguria.

The conference extensively discussed geological modelling processes, which are essential for the correct observation and interpretation of rock formations, based on the specific competence of geologists. Various methods and models related to the topics of Structural Geology and Rock Mechanics were also illustrated, ranging from the well-established to the most cutting edge, and their application to engineering design projects was presented, opening the door to pioneering and digital approaches. 2.5D modelling, a fundamental tool for geological design, is increasingly being combined with 3D modelling, also thanks to the development of new dedicated algorithms. Italferr itself is currently engaged in developing and testing such approaches, as part of the co-funded industrial doctoral programmes currently under way.

The speakers also explored the crucial role of rigorous modelling for developing predictive methods for slope instability and tunnelling, as well as the possibility of predictive tools for earthquakes. Finally, the possible upcoming update of the Eurocode (EC7) geological-structural and rock mechanics design processes was presented.

Thanks to the sponsorship and scientific organisation of the 2nd International Geotechnical Workshop – GEOVIEWS 2025 on an international scale, Italferr has strengthened its leading role in the development of specialist geological know-how, creating crucial bridges and continuous flows between academia and industry.