Study of the slopes of the creeping planes, on slopes made up of colluvial rocks, in the Negro River basin, Morona Santiago, Ecuador

Abstract

The research was carried out in the Negro River basin, whose slopes are made up of colluvium that experience creep. The main objective was to deduce an empirical law to estimate the tangent of the angle formed by the planes of movement of the masses with respect to the horizontal plane, under certain precipitation conditions and flows of the Negro River that flows at the foot of the slopes. For this, the slope movements were studied through weekly topographic monitoring at 77 points located on the ground or landmarks. Between each period of time, the tangent of the angle formed by the displacement vector resulting from each milestone with the horizontal plane, and its arithmetic mean, were calculated. Using a scatter graph, it was verified that there is an inverse proportionality of this tangent with precipitation and flow, which led to establishing the mathematical law to estimate the slopes of the creeping planes based on these variables. The model made it possible to establish effects on internal friction due to climatic action, and critical thresholds for rainfall and flow for the initiation of flow or avalanche processes.