Integrated Geophysical Survey around the 12th Century Byzantine Church of St. Nicholas, Platani Achaias, Greece

The high vulnerability of a small Byzantine Church of St. Nikolaos (Platani Village in North Peloponnese, Greece) constructed in 12th century, in certain geological conditions and tectonically active regime, led to a thorough study of the foundation soil with an integrated geophysical investigation (GPR, ERT and seismic surveys). The geophysical methods apart of the lithological identification of the layers, additionally estimated roughly the compaction or looseness of the materials and gave the Vs profile with depth, useful to the engineers to estimate the response of the building in an earthquake scenario. The permeable loose formation under the church that overlies the impermeable marl in combination with underground water facilitates a sliding phenomenon that could be potentially severe in case of a strong earthquake.