Mapping the invisible warscape: LiDAR analysis and GIS modeling of the Great War defensive systems in Sagrado.

This thesis analyzes the Great War battlefield in the Sagrado sector (Mount San Michele) by integrating high-resolution LiDAR data, GIS systems, and an in-depth investigation of historical sources. The goal is to reconstruct the Warscape as a persistent archaeological palimpsest, interpreting the conflict as a systemic friction between military engineering and karst morphology. A central part of the work is devoted to archival research, addressing the challenges of fragmentary and subjective period cartography. The comparison between historical documentation and digital surveying enabled the digitization of the defensive network, classified by its degree of conservation. Thanks to LiDAR’s ability to penetrate vegetation, it was possible to map previously undocumented evidence, revealing logistical strategies ignored by official sources. Spatial analysis also documented the human signature in militarized sinkholes, where ground leveling responded to specific criteria of protection and optical invisibility. Finally, the research quantifies the territorial asymmetry: the Italian front operated under a significant altimetric disadvantage and higher visual exposure than the Austro-Hungarian lines. The results demonstrate how topography acted as a multiplier of vulnerability for the attacker. Beyond its historical value, this study provides tools for the protection of a fragile heritage, often invisible but deeply imprinted on the contemporary landscape.