Derive

Deterioration of the structural elements facing the canals of Venice

Derive is an online geographical information system that organizes and manages the data collected in survey campaigns to analyze the state of preservation and characterization of the structural elements along the Venetian canals.

In 2002, in order to ascertain the actions required to protect Venice from the damage caused by the moto ondoso, the wave motion, an exploratory profile was ordered (upon recommendation by the Commissioner Paolo Costa) to describe and analyze the state of preservation and characterization of all the structural elements facing the canals in Venice. The acquisition of this legacy of information is a premise for being able to predict functional problems in the buildings far in advance, and as a result to plan the most appropriate interventions to solve these problems in terms of risk assessment.

In the course of eight meetings in which the participants included firemen, members of the civil protection corps, the association of architects and the association of engineers, private home associations and specialists invited by the City, the team defined and shared an effective methodology to evaluate the situation.

The result was the implementation of the Derive system (the damage assessment module) which relies on surveys and information tools to provide data on the state of preservation of the structural elements of embankment walls and buildings along the canals.