Title
Geologic hazard, tidal wave hazard and seismic amplification at the cliffs of Metropolitan Lima, Peru
Other title
Peligro geologico, peligro de maremotos y amplificacion sismica en los acantilados de Lima Metropolitana, Peru
Date Issued
01 December 1996
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Abstract
The traditional Metropolitan Lima is on the Rimac River alluvial fan. The seashore 'La Costa Verde', which is one of the future development poles of Lima, is located between this river and Morro Solar. Beaches, sea-shore roadway and future construction projects are at the foot of a very steep cliff, with elevations that range from few meters above sea level in Callao to over 60 m near Morro Solar. The alluvial nature of the cliff, its high topographic slopes and the high eolic and cultural erosion make this cliff a high potential geologic hazardous element, for its instability to seismic and cultural-elements' vibrations. Microseismic and instrumental data of severe seismic shaking along the Lima seashore cliff confirm results of numerical simulation of high seismic amplification at the top of the cliff. It is found for the 1974 Lima earthquake (7.5 Ms), that the macroseismic amplifcation factor near the top of the cliff (Intensity: 8 MSK) with respect to sites on component soils (intensity 6 MSK) with no topographic effects is 3-4 times higher. Estimated seismic accelerations required to rotate a 1000 kg statute on a flat are near the edge of the cliff, and recorded accelerations for the same earthquake on similar soils with no topographic effects give an amplification factor of 3 times higher for the cliff. This amplification factor is important for the design of any earthquake resistant construction in the area neighboring the cliff, because of the earthquake hazard along the Peruvian coasts. Any construction and development project in 'La Costa Verde' should consider, besides the earthquake hazard, the tsunami hazard. Tsunami numerical simulations predict a more than 10 m high water column at the foot of the cliff for an earthquake of 8.7 Mw magnitude and located under the continental platform. The largest seismic event and its associated tsunami that historically affected Lima has an estimated magnitude of 9.4 Mw. Besides the tsunami run up hazard, it has to be taken into account the violence of the sea wave impact on the constructions.
Start page
213
End page
221
Volume
44
OCDE Knowledge area
Geología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-0030316985
Source
Revista Geofisica
ISSN of the container
02529769
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus