Fondecyt 11241126
"Controls on flank instability at southern Andes volcanoes constrained by field, laboratory, and numerical evidence: Applications to San José and Chillán volcanoes"
The recently awarded Fondecyt Iniciación no. 11241126 (PI Jorge Romero) aims to determine the distribution and geometry of slope instability and its controlling factors (i.e., textural and compositional characteristics of rocks, their mass structure and discontinuities, and their mechanical rock properties) at the San José and Nevados de Chillán Volcanic Complexes.
Specific objectives involve encompassing the production of thematic maps to represent the factors contributing to instability (e.g., magmatic intrusions, hydrothermal alteration areas, observed landslides, etc.) and defining and characterizing lithotechnical units based on field observations. In addition, it should determine the mechanical rock properties of natural samples based on laboratory tests that represent different scenarios.
Lastly, these results should be incorporated into numerical models to represent unstable areas, failure planes, and conditions for failure.