http://hdl.handle.net/10498/6643 2026-05-10T00:37:49Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/39064 Heritage in Danger: Digital Conservation and a Reserve for the Future of the Benzú Rock Shelter and Cave (Ceuta, Spain) Muñoz Muñoz, Alejandro; Ramos Muñoz, José Francisco; Vijande Vila, Eduardo; Cantillo Duarte, Antonio; Ramírez Amador, José Luis; Dominguez-Bella, Salvador; Becerra Martín, Serafín; Molina Piernas, Eduardo; Fernández-Sánchez, Diego The archaeological complex of the Benzú rock shelter and cave, located in Ceuta (Spain), represents a heritage site of significant scientific and historical value that is currently at risk due to natural processes and, in particular, the activity of a nearby quarry. This site has been occupied from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age and consequently has been the subject of systematic research since 2002, focusing on its stratigraphic sequence, lithic technology, exploitation of marine resources, and the connection between both shores of the Strait of Gibraltar. With the aim of preserving this endangered heritage, a methodology based on advanced digital technologies such as photogrammetry, 3D laser scanning, and GNSS georeferencing has been implemented. These tools have enabled the creation of high-precision, three-dimensional models of the rock shelter and the cave, which are useful for both documentation and monitoring of their structural condition. In addition, fracture networks have been identified, revealing a high degree of geotechnical vulnerability, exacerbated by blasting activities at the nearby quarry. The project has produced a digital twin of the site in an open access format, serving not only for preventive conservation but also for its enhancement through virtual tours, augmented reality, and accessible outreach activities. This digitalization has been essential to facilitate the access to heritage, particularly in areas that are physically difficult to access. Finally, the integration of these digital resources into institutional policies for the sustainable management of heritage is proposed, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary approaches that combine archaeology, geotechnology, and scientific communication. The experience at Benzú is presented as a replicable model for the protection, interpretation, and dissemination of heritage sites located in fragile and threatened environments. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/39049 Pliocene-Quaternary deformational structures in the eastern Algarve continental shelf, Gulf of Cadiz Luján Martínez, María; Lobo, Francisco José; Mestdagh, Thomas; Carrión Torrente, Alvaro; Vázquez, Juan Tomás; Van Rooij, David Evidences of tectonic deformation from the Pliocene to the Quaternary are evaluated on the northern Gulf Cadiz continental margin along the eastern Algarve continental shelf between the Guadiana River and Faro city, in a regional compressive context close to the Eurasia-Africa plate boundary. We studied an extensive set of 2D highresolution seismic reflection profiles framed within previously published seismic-stratigraphic models. The seismic stratigraphic interpretation and regional correlation allow us to identify a major Middle Pleistocene (0.9–026 Ma) angular unconformity along the shelf, plus deformational structures affecting widespread depositional hiatuses in the Pliocene-Quaternary sedimentary units of the study area. Several deformation features indicate neotectonic activity: ENE-WSW to NE-SW thrusts moving pre-Middle Pleistocene shelf deposits and N-S to NW-SE folds and NNE-SSW to NNW-SSE high-angle normal faults affecting Middle to Upper Pleistocene shelf deposits. These structures are interpreted under the light of two major deformation phases that took place in the Algarve continental shelf. A first phase of Pre-Middle Pleistocene thrusting agrees with a dominant transpressive regime along the southwestern Iberian margin since the Tortonian, which is also recorded in the deep-water contouritic record of the southern Iberian margin, where compressional events caused intensification of the Mediterranean Outflow Water. A Middle to Upper Pleistocene tectonic phase is characterized by less intense deformation of the sedimentary cover involving individual structures (i.e., folds and faults), some of which remained active at least up to the Last Glacial Maximum. This more recent tectonic deformation is compatible with slowly uplifting trend recognized in the Portuguese mainland, and coetaneous diapiric reactivation that locally deformed Late Quaternary sediments along the southwestern Iberian margin. The study lends additional evidence of regional neotectonic activity producing Pliocene to Pleistocene deformation, and having ultimate implications for seismic hazard assessment, in offshore settings close to coastal population centers along the southern Portuguese coast. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38730 Addressing Increased Temperatures in Cities: Determination of Pedestrian Routes with Thermal Comfort in Barranquilla, Colombia Bolívar-Anillo, Hernando José; Vega Benites, Shersy; Reyes Almeida, Giovanna; Ortega Llanos, Samuel de Jesús; Taba-Charris, Valentina; Anfuso Melfi, Giorgio Thermal stress due to high temperatures has different negative effects on citizens as it generates a decrease in physical capacity and causes cardiovascular and respiratory alterations, which is especially true for pedestrians. In this paper, using a drone, routes for pedestrians with the best thermal comfort were traced between the different headquarters of the Simón Bolívar University (Barranquilla, Colombia). Maps were created for three time intervals, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., from 1 to 2 p.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m., and variations in temperature and relative humidity of both natural and artificial shadow areas were identified. The routes with the best thermal comfort were those with natural shade that presented ca. 3 °C less than the unshaded areas. The predominant trees’ genera in most of the traced pedestrian routes were Arecaceae (palm), Tabebuia (purple oak), Mangifera (mango), and Delonix (red acacia). Some of them lose their leaves between March and June, which gives rise to an increase in the temperature along those routes. The developed cell phone application allows for the selection of walking environments with the best thermal comfort, favoring the mobility of the pedestrians along the considered area. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38719 Assessing the impact of Nile water level fluctuations on the structural stability of the Philae temples in Aswan, Egypt Fahmy, Abdelrhman; Basell, Laura; Domínguez Bella, Salvador; Molina Piernas, Eduardo The ancient Egyptian temples at the Philae UNESCO World Heritage Site in Aswan face conservation challenges due to fluctuating water levels, which threaten their building material resistance. Following a summary review of the hydrological changes to the natural responses of the Nile caused by the construction of the Aswan dam, our research employs a novel approach, combining remote sensing data analysis, literature review, fieldwork, and multiple high-specification materials analyses, to assess the impact of these changes on the temples in Philae. The new data permit the identification of the most at-risk areas and inform the long-term monitoring and conservation of Philae. Our approach enhances understanding of the causes and effects of building material decay and underscores the urgent need for conservation strategies to mitigate ongoing water-induced deterioration. The research highlights the impact of human-induced hydrological changes, offering a case study that informs future climate change effects. It is clear that tough decisions will be required for the long term heritage conservation of the Philae temples in the face of modern infrastructural developments and climate change, and that cultural heritage management guidelines before and after dam construction is urgently required. The issues identified, are not unique to the Philae Temples so the results and recommendations are relevant to other World Heritage sites that are currently facing similar environmental and conservation challenges. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z