UCSC academics are part of the regional technical table to avoid natural disasters

As a result of the registered forest fires and the approaching winter, the sectors of the area that may be affected by the removal of masses are analyzed.

Communications Catholic University of the Holy Conception.-The academics of the Faculty of Engineering of the UCSC, Dr. Robert King and Dr. José Miguel Montenegro, are part of the technical table that the regional authorities set up in order to avoid the removal of masses product of the forest fires that were registered this summer in the area.

Under the previous scenario, and considering the proximity of winds and rains, the specialists of the Study House will support the generation of an evaluation, analysis and possible mitigation measures in the most affected areas. For this, the work considers establishing ideas as critical points (or hot zones) close to homes, routes or where there is basic service infrastructure. It is also intended to raise actions appealing to the sense of urgency, support prevention with early warning criteria and coordinate response protocols.

“It is an honor for us to be part of this technical table and representatives of the academic world, it allows us to demonstrate our knowledge and in the same way, generate contact networks. So we have to define what the hot spots are and what is possible to minimize the damage in the coming months,” King said.

Mitigation measures
For the same teacher, the situation in which the surface was left after the fires would cause mass removal, which translates into rock falls, landslides, as well as floods. That situation could cause many square meters of rubble to reach houses, railway lines or roads.

Montenegro explained that “depending on the types of trees, the function they fulfilled was to lower the water level inside the slope, but now that has burned, so we no longer have that source that allowed a low water level and therefore which will begin to rise, causing landslides. Now you have to find an artificial way to permeate that and avoid that damage. One of the long-term options is reforestation, but for this winter, where the El Niño phenomenon was also announced, it cannot be counted on”.

To the above, the alternative of putting layers of nylon to cover the surface and mitigate the ‘pore pressure’ effect is being analyzed, which translates into water infiltration, which can easily cause slipping. “This doesn’t fix the problem in the long term, but it serves as a mitigation measure to survive the coming winter, hoping that nature will do her thing and take control with the growth of new trees,” King added.

Experience in the area
Previously, these teachers developed a similar project through the Scientific and Technological Nucleus in the commune of Tomé, specifically in the Bellavista sector, where they identified places with risk of removal of gritty soil resulting from the weathering of granitic rocks of the coastal batholith. That approach spawned applied research, computer modeling, and vast experience with compost soils.

“Many of the fires occurred in compost, so we acquired part of our knowledge in that investigation. In both scenarios there are variables that are not the same, but the same logic is applied and it can also be applied in other areas with different geology such as the Ruta de la Madera where there is metamorphic soil”, added Montenegro.

Despite the adversity, teachers see it as an opportunity to expand research in this area, which is why undergraduate students will also be incorporated, who will develop their theses on these topics.

“The idea is to apply our knowledge and keep learning. Although we have applied this content to one of the geologies that exist in the area, the idea was to continue advancing in other places and what happened has made us speed up our initial planning. Additionally, they can provide us with some slope monitoring systems, because when the project is carried out independently, it costs more to manage certain actions”, concluded Montenegro.

It should be noted that the technical table is made up of various regional members through specialists from the Regional Government, Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Housing and Urbanism, University of Bío-Bío, University of Concepción, EFESur , Army and Carabineros of Chile.