Abstract
The urban expansion of Santiago city includes areas with geomorphological and geological conditions with potential to be affected by landslide processes. This work presents compiled landslide susceptibility maps for the Andean foothills of Santiago city, between Maipo and Mapocho rivers. The maps identify the areas prone to the generation of slides, falls and flows. The results show that the oriental foothills of Santiago city have moderate to high susceptibility of rock falls, rock and soil slides and debris flows. The most important of these landslide types are debris flows, due to the runout of this processes that may reach urban areas posing a risk for the city, for which detailed hazard studies are required.
Highlights
Santiago city, in central Chile, has experienced in the last decades a sustained growth toward the Andean range foothills in the eastern fringe of the city, where landslide activity is most frequent
The results show that the oriental foothills of Santiago city have moderate to high susceptibility of rock falls, rock and soil slides and debris flows
The methodology for its calculation is based on the addition of weighted ratings assigned to a list of conditioning factors, for the following landslide types: rock falls, rock slides, soil slides and debris flows
Summary
In central Chile, has experienced in the last decades a sustained growth toward the Andean range foothills in the eastern fringe of the city, where landslide activity is most frequent. Occurrence of landslides in the mountain front and interior catchment hillslopes, and especially debris flows and mudflows that can reach the alluvial plain are common, and pose an increasing risk to populated areas (Antinao et al, 2003; Hauser, 1993, 2000). Most common landslide types in the area are debris flows that occur in several ravines and gullies that drain the mountain range toward the city; rock falls from steep, fractured rock slopes and slides, ranging from small volume shallow soil slides in colluvium to large, prehistoric rock megaslides in catchment headers. Landslide activity due to large coastal thrust earthquakes typical of the Chilean plate margin such as the M 8.8, 2010 earthquake, appear to be limited in the area to rock falls and minor slides, due to the large distance to the seismic source (Sepúlveda et al, 2012; Serey et al, 2017). The effect of a third type of seismicity, intermediate depth intraplate earthquakes (Leyton et al, 2010) on landslide activity is not well known
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
