Abstract

MORA, Rolando  and  PIRULLI, Marina. Las torres landslide at Irazú Volcano, Costa Rica: volume estimation and preferred direction of movement. Rev. Geol. Amér. Central [online]. 2017, n.56, pp.51-67. ISSN 0256-7024.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rgac.v0i56.29236.

A study on slope instability has been made in the western sector of Irazú volcano, which comprises the definition of the geomorphological framework, the application of finite element technique known as shear resistance reduction, to analyze the stability of the sector defined as in process of destabilization and to stablish the volume of the potential landslide. Río Sucio Oeste Active Landslide (DARSO) was identified as the only active slide in the studied sector. In addition, it has been established that Retes Inactive Landslide (DIR) shows evidence of reactivation in the sector of its main escarpment. Moreover, it is not expected that DSPD landform presents a movement to the southwest in the future and the deformations shown by the model of a northwestward detachment become significant once the properties of shear strength are reduced by a factor of around 1.30; thus developing the collapse of the slope towards the northwest. If it is considered that the safety factor has a value of around 1.30, there must be a triggering factor for the landslide to develop. Finally, the volume of the landslide is estimated as 7 million cubic meters.

Keywords : Slope instability, land forms, finite element, shear strength reduction; Irazú volcano..

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