Abstract

RENDON RIVERA, ALBEIRO DE JESÚS; VARGAS FRANCO, RUBEN DARIO  and  ARIAS LOPEZ, ALBERTO. METHODOLOGICAL SUGGESTION FOR PRIORITY ROCK FALL HAZARD URBAN AREAS, FOR THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES INTEGRATED SET OF URBAN REORGANIZATION MEASURES AIMED AT THE MITIGATION OF THE ROCK FALL RELATED RISK. . Bol. cienc. tierra [online]. 2007, n.21, pp.59-69. ISSN 0120-3630.

This paper describes a qualitative methodology for the assessment of rock fall physical risk index at large-scale (1:1000). Through a detailed geologic and geomorphological survey both rock fall deposits and rock fall sources are identified and mapped. Analysis of the rock fall deposits give indications over the temporal frequency and spatial distribution of the phenomenon and point out the most active areas. Rock fall sources are meticulously studied and individual rock blocks are classified based on its potential instability. The final product is a definition of the rock's “transit corridors” and their corresponding classification, concerning the rock fall hazard index, using the heuristically defined categories of low, moderate and high hazard. Hazard index is estimated as lineal function of main variables, whose values (numeric indexes) are ground together in three categories: high, moderate, and low. Physical vulnerability index to each “transit corridor” is assessed based on the number of people and dwellings. Finally, physical risk index to every “transit corridor” is obtained crossing hazard index and vulnerability index data. The risk assessment results allowed the local authorities to carry out an integrated set of urban reorganization measures aimed at the mitigation of the rock fall related risk.

Keywords : Rock Fall; Rock Fall Risk index; urban reorganization; Medellín; Colombia.

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