ABSTRACT
The tidal environment of the Venice lagoon is chiefly made up of salt marshes and wetlands, which are predominantly covered by halophytic vegetation and are subject to tidal fluctuation, with periods of submersion depending on tidal cycle amplitude and local topography.
The eustatic rise of sea level, natural and/or man-induced regional subsidence, and increasing anthropic pressure have caused considerable environmental damage to the lagoon's ecosystem. The damage includes significant changes to the sediment balance of the basin and the disappearance of large marsh areas.
To study the complex interaction between marshes and wetlands and the surrounding environment, the upper marsh soil has been investigated by site and laboratory testing. A pore pressure measurement system has been implemented to monitor the groundwater pressure as a function of tide excursion. More recently, a special loading system has been designed and used to measure the compressibility of upper marshy soil, with the aim of modeling the soil's long-term settlements.
