Lithological Characterization of the Punzara Study Area, Loja: Implications for Slope Stability
摘要
This article analyzes a detailed lithological characterization of the Punzara area, located in Loja, Ecuador. Through a systematic field survey and spatial analysis through a geological map at a scale of 1:2500, six different lithological units were identified and delimited. These include heterogeneous alluvial deposits, clayey deposits characterized by a remarkable and anomalous presence of organic roots at depths between 1.0 and 1.5 m, a massive sandy silt unit with outcrops up to 3 m thick, a conglomerate with spheroidal clasts of 1–4 cm in a silt-sandy matrix, another conglomerate with intercalated lenses of sand and clay, and shale outcrops with intercalations of gray silts with thicknesses of up to 30 m. The spatial distribution of these units, clearly visualized through the geological map, provided fundamental geological information for the understanding of the local geological framework and lays the foundations for evaluating their potential influence on slope stability in the area.