CHARACTERIZATION OF SOILS WITH GEOPHYSICAL METHODS IN LA GUAIRA, MACUTO, CARABALLEDA AND TANAGUARENA, VARGAS STATE, VENEZUELA

Abstract

The Vargas state is considered a region with an elevated seismic hazard, which was evidenced by the damage caused by the 1967 Caracas earthquake. Additionally, in December 1999, many landslides and mudflows occurred due to intensive and persisting rainfall. In order to investigate the subsoil characteristics and the internal structure of the sediments, geophysical methods as seismic refraction studies, gravimetric measurements and ambient noise measurements were applied in the alluvial fans between La Guaira and Tanaguarena. From the analysis of S-waves, we determined three layers in the fans, the first one with velocities between 200 and 400 m/s down to a maximum depth of 50 m, the second one between 400 and 600 m/s down to 90 m in depth and the third one between 600 and 750 m/s, without reaching the basement. From the P-waves we derived a shallow water level at 5-10 m in depth. The maximum bedrock depth, derived from earlier studies, is about 450 m at Caraballeda. In Macuto the bedrock depth is about 290 m in the El Cojo fan and around 180 m in depth in the Punta Mulatos in La Guaira fan. Based on the gravimetric models, the bedrock is inclined between 17° to 21° towards the north in the whole study area. The predominant periods of soil vibration, derived from ambient noise measurements, range generally between 0.9 and 1.8 s for the alluvial fans.