Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Soil structural indicators of hillslope destabilization in the Serra do Mar mountain range (Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mass movements are amongst the main problems related to natural disasters in Rio de Janeiro State. The cities which suffer most due to these events remain on alert during each rainy season. Many surveys have been conducted to map hazard risk areas. Many authors associate these phenomena with geological characteristics, and some recognize the role of soil properties. This paper outlines the soil indicators which contribute to hillslope destabilization in the Serra do Mar mountain range. A hillslope was selected and soil samples collected from six trenches, along the slope. Soil micromorphological and physico-chemical analyses were conducted to assess mass movement hazard. The presence of gibbsite on the upper third of the slope is one of the factors that can decrease horizon permeability and therefore destabilize slopes. On the lower third of the slope, structures demonstrate that part of this soil is formed by material originating from the upper slope.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boulet R (1988) Análise Estrutural da Cobertura Pedológica e cartografia. Congresso Brasileiro de Ciência do Solo, SBCS 21:79–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Boulet R, Humbel FX, Lucas Y (1982) Analyse structurale et cartographie en pédologie II. Une méthode d’analyse prenant en compte l’organisation tridimensionnelle des covertures pédologiques. Cah ORSTOM sér Pédol 4:323–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Bullock P, Fedoroff N, Jongerius A, Stoops G, Tursina T (1985) Handbook for soil thin section description. Waine Research Publication, Wolverhampton

  • Castro SS (2002) Micromorfologia de solo – base para descrição de lâminas delgadas. Apostila da disciplina Micromorfologia de Solos, UFG/UNICAMP

    Google Scholar 

  • Coelho Netto AL, Avelar AS, Fernandes MC, Lacerda WA (2007) Landslide susceptibility in a mountainous geoecosystem. Tijuca Massif. Rio de Janeiro: the role of morphometric subdivision of the terrain. Geomorphology 87:120–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curi N (Coord) (1985) Terminologia de Micromorfologia do Solo. SBCS. Bol. Inf. 33

  • de Ploey J, Cruz O (1979) Landslides in the Serra do Mar, Brazil. Catena 6:111–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delvigne JE (1965) Pédogenèse en zone tropicale: la formation des mineraux secondaires en milieu ferralitique. ORSTOM

  • Delvigne JE (1998) Atlas of micromorphology of mineral alteration and weathering. The Canadian Mineralogist Special Publication 3/ORSTOM éditions

  • Dourado F, Arraes TC, Silva MF (2012) O megadesastre da Região Serrana do Rio de Janeiro—as causas do evento, os mecanismos dos movimentos de massa e a distribuição espacial dos investimentos de reconstrução no pós-desastre. Anuário do Instituto de Geociências 35:43–54

    Google Scholar 

  • EMBRAPA (1997) Manual de métodos de análise de solo. EMBRAPA-CNPS, Rio de Janeiro

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes NF, Amaral CP (2003) Movimentos de massa: uma abordagem geológico-geomorfológica. In: Guerra AJT, Cunha SB (e) Geomorfologia e meio ambiente. 4th edn. Bertrand Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, pp 123–194

  • Fernandes NF, Guimarães RF, Gomes RAT, Vieira BC, Montgomery DR, Greenberg H (2004) Topographic controls of landslides in Rio de Janeiro: field evidence and modeling. Catena 55:163–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furian S, Barbiero L, Boulet R (1999) Organisation of the soil mantle in tropical southeastern Brazil (Serra do Mar) in relation to landslides processes. Catena 38:65–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furian S, Barbiero L, Boulet R, Curmi P, Grimaldi M, Grimaldi C (2002) Distribution and dynamics of gibbsite and kaolinite in an Oxisol of Serra do Mar, southeastern Brazil. Geoderma 106:83–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerra AJT (1995) The catastrophic events in Petrópolis City (Rio de Janeiro State) between 1940 and 1990. GeoJournal 37:349–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Infanti N Jr, Fornasari Filho N (1998) Processos da dinâmica superficial. In: Oliveira MAS, Brito SNA (ed) Geologia de Engenharia. ABGE – Associação Brasileira de Geologia de Engenharia, São Paulo, pp 131–152

  • Jackson ML (1969) Soil chemical analysis: advanced course. University of Wisconsin, Madison

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemos RC, Santos RD (1996) Manual de descrição e coleta de solo no campo, 3rd edn. SBCS/EMBRAPA-SNLCS, Campinas

    Google Scholar 

  • Mücher H, van Steijn H, Kwaad F (2010) Colluvial and mass wasting deposits. In: Stoops G, Marcelino V, Mees F (eds) Interpretation of micromorphology features of soils and regoliths. Elsevier, Amsterdan

  • Nimer E (1972) Climatologia da região sudeste do Brasil. R Bras de Geog 34:3–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Penha HM, Ferrari AL, Junho MCB, Souza SLA, Brenner TL (1981) Relatório Final - Folha Itaipava - Projeto Carta Geológica do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Departamento de Recursos Minerais/Departamento de Geologia (UFRJ), Niterói

  • Ruellan A, Dosso M, Fritsch E (1989) L’analyse structurale de la couverture pédologique. Science du Sol 27:319–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos LV (2008) Estudo da influência da bentonita em um solo residual para uso como camada selante. Dissertation, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

  • Silos VR, Polivanov H, Santos LV, Silva AS, Barroso EV, Alvaro TT, Cruz BLA (2011) Micromorfologia aplicada a estudos geológico-geotécnicos. Revista Brasileira de Geociências 41:256–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva AS (2006) Influência da erosão na remoção de nutrientes e metais pesados em uma topossequência em Petrópolis (RJ). Doctoral thesis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

  • Smyth CG, Royle SA (2000) Urban landslide hazard: incidence and causative factors in Niterói. Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Appl Geogr 20:95–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoops G, Marcelino V, Mees F (2010) Interpretation of micromorphology features of soils and regoliths. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Ultramari C (2013) 910; 7; 365 [an essay on urban potentialties]. Land Use Policy 34:125–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq) for financial support for this research. We also thank the Department of Geology of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro for support during the development of this research. We thank Ms. Vanessa Saraiva for making the illustrations for this paper and Luciana Correa for her help with the grammar review of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geography, State University of Rio de Janeiro, rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4015-D, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Antonio S. da Silva

  2. Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Prédio do CCMN Bloco I sala: 20 - Cidade Universitária – Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Antonio J. T. Guerra & Helena Polivanov

  3. Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, MA Building, City Campus South, Wulfuna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY, UK

    Michael A. Fullen

Authors
  1. Antonio S. da Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonio J. T. Guerra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Helena Polivanov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michael A. Fullen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonio S. da Silva.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

da Silva, A.S., Guerra, A.J.T., Polivanov, H. et al. Soil structural indicators of hillslope destabilization in the Serra do Mar mountain range (Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil). Nat Hazards 81, 1177–1191 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-2126-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-2126-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation