Evaluación de las condiciones físicas y análisis de la vulnerabilidad del barrio San José de las flores alto y medio (Mérida): Ejemplo de la importancia de la geomorfología en los estudios de microzonificación sísmica

this work stresses the importance of including geomorphologic variables within the framework of studies aimed at outlining the seismic micro-zoning of a city, by orienting its analysis in the sense of proposing damage scenarios associated with coseismic events. as an example of this methodological orientation, we have briefly reviewed the study of the physical conditions of a highly populated urban sector (san josé de las flores slum, mérida, venezuela), which was carried out with the purpose of collecting information to improve dwelling conditions, in accordance with the guidelines by the slum improvement program of the national housing council (conavi). in this regard, the lithological, structural and technical conditions were studied, as well as the geomorphologic conditions of the site, reaching the conclusion that the one of the significant problems of the area is mass displacement, namely land slides. within this context, we have considered the possibility of occurrence of a seismic-induced mass displacement which may eventually affect the community of the area. although this is not the direct goal of the studies of seismic micro-zoning, in most cases this kind of co-seismic event, in some instance forms part of the soil response, may cause more damage than the vibrations associated with an event.