Assessment of NOA risk for the excavation of a highway tunnel system ("Gronda di Genova", Italy): from NOA-oriented geological model to asbestos quantification

For a reliable evaluation of the geo-environmental risk related to the presence of naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) in rocks excavated for large infrastructural projects, a proper procedure has to be followed in order to achieve:

1) the definition of a detailed geological model, tailored on NOA-related issues;

2) a representative sampling;

3) a reliable quantitative determination of asbestos content in rock samples.

Here we describe the approach followed for the evaluation of the NOA content for the excavation of a complex highway tunnel system (“Gronda di Genova” NW Italy), in NOA-bearing meta-ophiolite rocks. The NOA-oriented geological model has been constrained by the individuation of the main “NOA-related petrofacies” —i.e., classes of rocks with common lithological, structural and NOA content features—, and by the identification of “homogeneous zones” – i.e. geological units into which the NOA petrofacies are distributed. Implementation of Gy’s theory on sampling was used and here described to maintain statistical validity during sample processing from the primary rock sample to the analytical sample. SEM-EDS procedure for the quantitative determination of NOA content was improved with an error analysis delivering the minimum number of fibers to be measured to achieve the best analytical results.

The obtained results allowed the prediction of the NOA hazard in terms of risk zonation along the tunnel section and for the evaluation of the amount of asbestos-bearing spoil to be excavated and managed.