Caracterización morfoestructural y geomecánica de suelos en la zona de Jocotoco del cantón Piñas

Abstract

The present work was carried out in the Buenaventura ecological reserve belonging to the Jocotoco Foundation, located 15 minutes from the Piñas canton, El Oro province, southwest of Ecuador. In the municipality of Piñas, there is important updated information on the delimitations, adjoining areas, satellite photo and area of the sector, with this information the basis for analysis in the field was used. The morphostructural and geomechanical characterization of the soil is important to understand its physical and mechanical properties, which in turn helps to make informed decisions about land use in different types of construction and civil engineering projects. The morphostructural of the soil refers to its geological composition and its internal structure, including the arrangement of the different components of the soil, such as sand, silt and clay. On the other hand, soil geomechanics refers to its mechanical behavior in response to different types of loads and deformations. In terms of morphostructural characterization, different techniques can be used to assess the composition of the soil and its internal structure. For example, visual observation and classification of the different components of the soil can provide information about its composition. Laboratory tests, such as sieve analysis, can also be performed to determine the particle size distribution in the soil. Regarding the geomechanical characterization of the soil, laboratory and field tests can be carried out to evaluate its mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, permeability and load capacity. For example, consolidation tests can be performed to assess the ability of the soil to support long-term loads, or direct shear tests to assess its shear strength. the study focused on the lithological, morphological and geomechanical analysis of the soils and surface rocks in the sector. The sector is divided into two zones, the first is located to the southwest of the reserve with a single entrance that goes from the entrance of Selva Alegre. It is made up of tamorphic rocks, has a high moisture content due to the absorption of mist and several areas of instability where mass removals occur due to having too steep slopes, due to heavy high rainfall, the second area is to the southeast of the reserve entering through the Virgencita stop on the Piñas-Saracay road, where the soil is more clayey and silty and with steep slopes. Existing information from previous investigations was compiled to learn more about its erosive formation over the years, a geological survey was also made with the data obtained, with satellite photographs, and a geomechanical study carried out in the laboratory of the Technical University of Machala. The landslides in the area are generated more by the type of soil existing in the sector, made up of highly plastic soils such as CH and MH, which are clayey soils, with heavy rainfall and high inclinations, landslides located further south west of the area arise. sector.