Caracterización Geomorfológica de la Ciudad de Valera (Estado Trujillo, Venezuela)

Abstract

Since 1990, several problems of instability have been known in the terrace of Valera caused in the border of the slope by the downward movement of itself. Example of this is what has happened with the structures in the Conticinio Complex (Plata IV, 1968) which have descended from its original slope of 20 meters to 2 meters. In 1999 researchers from the Geological Engineering School granted by the governmental authorities, performed several studies. Included in these was a study that described the main geomorphologic units in the city of Valera. In this description, several aspects of the next five zones were overlooked: dissected mountainous zones, dissected elevated hills, depositional valleys coluvio - alluvial and clayey – sandy, deep valleys with high layers of flooding and plains of flooding. The mentioned zones are shown in the obtained map. Based on the observations made in each of the zones, it can be concluded that the instability of the rock massifs in the different points of the city is due mostly to the geomorphologic processes, for that reason a historical reconstruction of the stated processes for recent period is highly recommended