Resumen

GONZALEZ RAYNAL, BERTHA E. Use of seismic microzonation maps in seismic vulnerability analysis and risk assessment for urban areas in Cuba. Rev. Fac. Ing. UCV [online]. 2006, vol.21, n.4, pp.5-16. ISSN 0798-4065.

Results of research concerning seismic microzonation of several urban settlements in Cuba, placed in zones with different hazard levels, but all of them submitted to high risk, are presented in this paper. These settlements are the city of Santiago de Cuba, with more than 400,000 inhabitants located in the eastern part of the country and several densely urbanized municipalities of the capital of Cuba, with a total population of more than 80,000 inhabitants and a population density of more than 20,000 inh/km². The methodology for the compilation of these maps is briefly described. It consists in the comparative analysis of geotechnical features for the prediction of intensity variations and the identification of zones with high susceptibility for seismic induced geological hazards. The realization of high frequency microtremor measurements allow us to determine the dynamic response of soils in the areas studied. The helpfulness of seismic microzonation maps in the analysis of vulnerability and risk for urban settlements is also shown.

Palabras clave : seismic microzonation; vulnerability; risk; urban areas.