Urban Geomorphology Working Group

WG Chairs

Laura Melelli laura.melelli@unipg.it
Università degli Studi di Perugiani (Italy)

Maurizio Del Monte maurizio.delmonte@uniroma1.it
University of Rome (Italy)

Pierluigi Brandolini Brando@unige.it
University of Genova (Italy)

Further WG Contacts:

Francesco Faccini Faccini@unige.it
University of Genova (Italy)

Maria Luisa Rodrigues luisa.rodrigues@campus.ul.pt rodrigues.mluisa@gmail.com
University of Lisbon (Portugal)


Other Members of the Steering Committee:

Prof. Emmanuel Reynard – Lausanne (Switzerland)

Prof. Zbigniew Zwolinski – Poznan (Poland)

Prof. Leonidas Stomatopoulos – Patras (Greece)

 Prof. Konstantino Vouvalis – Thessaloniki (Greece)

Prof. Maria Lìgia Cassol-Pinto – Ponta Grossa (Brazil)

Prof. Michael Augustine Fullen – Wolverhampton (UK)

Prof. Mary Thornbush – Oxford (UK)

Prof. Antonio Jose Teixeira Guerra – Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Prof. Jurandyr Luciano Sanches Ross – Sao Paulo (Brazil)

Prof. Luis Antonio Bittar Venturi – Sao Paulo (Brazil)


Introduction to WG activity

The Working Group on Urban Geomorphology aims to better understanding the effects of cities growth on geomorphological processes and landforms within the increase of hydrogeomorphological risk, also related to climate change scenarios (Berti et Al., 2004, Brandolini et Al., 2012; Lóczy, Sütő 2011; Slaymaker et al. 2009). An additional topic consists in evaluating and enhancing the cultural geo-heritage in urban areas (Rodrigues et al. 2011, Reynard et al. 2017, Zwoliński et al. 2018), by developing links and synergies with other current I.A.G. working groups, such as “Anthropocene Geomorphology”, “Landform Assessment for Geodiversity” and “Geomorphosites”.

Aims and objectives:

Urban geomorphology WG aims to evaluate/define/develop:

  • the impact of metropolitan growth on geomorphology (Gierlinger et al., 2013; Mohapatra et al., 2014; Mozzi et al., 2016; Del Monte et alii, 2016; Jordan et al., 2016);
  • the constraints imposed by geomorphology on urban development (Cooke 1976; Teixeira Guerra A. J., 2011);
  • the attitude of the different landforms for urban use (Hara et alii, 2008; Del Monte, 2017);
  • the creation of anthropic landforms in the urban landscape (McCall et alii, 1996; Douglas 2005; Szabó et alii, 2010; Del Monte et alii, 2013);
  • the geomorphological risks in urban environments (Martin Diaz et al., 2015; Pratesi et alii, 2016);
  • methods for geomorphological survey and mapping in urbanized areas and/or deeply modified areas by human activities (Brandolini et al., 2018; Zwoliński et al., 2018);
  • the relationships between geomorphological changes in urban areas and archaeological and historical data (Mozzi et al., 2016; Del Monte et alii, 2016);
  • the geological model of the anthropogenic deposits (and its interactions with geotechnics, hydrogeology, design of underground infrastructures) (Luberti et al., 2019);
  • an interdisciplinary forum for a wide range scientists interested in applying methods and techniques for analyzing geomorphological features in urban areas.

Key activities and products of the working group will include:

  • Organization of annual working group workshops;
  • Organization of scientific sessions at relevant international conferences;
  • Publication of journal special issues connected to these annual workshops and conference scientific sessions;
  • Publication of synthesis volumes on Urban Geomorphology

Last WG Annual Reports:

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2020

Events: