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Evaluation of Subsidence Hazard with Geo-Radar Within a Populated City - A Case Study of Southern Quito, Ecuador

Abstract:

The current study has been performed in the San José de Chilibulo suburb in the south of the Metropolitan District of Quito, which aimed to zone the subsidence through the geological mapping of the Quaternary units combined with the subsurface studies, in order to elaborate a conceptual model that explains the dynamics of the area. In the sector, the filling of streams and the subsequent settlements on these, combined with the presence of several underground galleries for the extraction of material for construction, have generated a problem of subsidence in the area. The subsidence was triggered by the collapse of galleries left by mining. The zoning of susceptibility by subsidence determined three levels of subsidence danger through the delimitation of areas whose geological characteristics make a greater or less tendency to subsidence exist. The subsidence susceptibility zoning in the San José suburb of Chilibulo was conducted through the analysis of the existing information, analysis of the subsurface studies, geological mapping of the quaternary units and the correlation of all the information using the tool QGIS. It was concluded that in the study area the high susceptibility represents 9.91% (2.28 Ha) of the total area of the study area and is located in the lower part of Quebrada Los Chochos, while the average susceptibility represents 29.22% (6.72 Ha) and is located on the southern filling areas, in the Quebrada Guanajucho. Finally, the low susceptibility represents 60.87% (14 Ha), and is encountered in the central part of the study area.