Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
of which is located at approximately 10 km from
the location of the object being studied. “Jameos del
agua” is located in the northern part of the island of
lanzarote at approximately 25 km from the city of
arrecife very close to the coast. The nearest town is
Punta Mujeres approximately one kilometer away.
This is a unique landscape of exceptional natural
beauty with a capacity for approximately 500 peo-
ple. it is suitable for holding a wide variety of pubic
events in the inside and boasts excellent acoustic
conditions.
Given these circumstances, the Town council
of lanzarote decided to commission a group of
experts to study the problem and provide a report
accordingly. The objective, from the point of view
of the feasibility of the facilities for public use of
the auditorium, was:
- to analyse the situation and possible evolution
of los Jameos del agua,
- to identify the possible technical solution which
would enable a reopening of these facilities in
safe conditions for such use.
The conclusion reached was that the audito-
rium had various problems which were affect-
ing its stability to a different extent. all of those,
however, required undertaking specific action to
considerably reduce the natural process contrib-
uting to its destabilisation and to allow opening
it to the public whilst ensuring an adequate level
of safety. The considerable patrimonial value of
the complex required these actions to be defined
and implemented whilst observing restoration
and renovation requirements in such a way as to
preserve the natural environment of which it is
comprised.
2
GeoloGical FRaMe
in a previous paper the most important geologi-
cal local features are described in detail. (signorelli
et al. 2007).
Geologically, the “Jameos del agua” cave is
formed by two different basaltic lava units:
- the Malpaís lava Unit (MlU), and
- the lava Tube Unit (lTU).
The MlU is present in the entire section of the
cave and is formed by a succession of different sub
horizontal (n10º e strike/1-5° ese dip) lava mem-
bers: lower, intermediate, Upper and Top lava
subunits.
From the lower to the top lava members visually
there is an increase in vesicularity and a decrease in
the thickness of lavas, grading from aa lavas at the
base to pahoehoe lavas at the top. The lower mal-
país member consists of massive grey lava flows
surrounded by a thick and irregular layer of blocky
and scoriaceous reddish lava rubble. The thickness
of each massive lava flow is 3 m whereas the scoria
zones range in size from 0.2 to 2 m thick. The inter-
mediate, upper and top members are formed by a
succession of pahohoe lava flows. The lava flow
has less vesicular nuclei at the base (intermediate
malpaís member) which grade into highly vesicular
upper and top members.
