Flow characteristics of large eruption-triggered debris flows at snow-clad volcanoes: constraints for debris-flow models

1995 ◽  
Vol 66 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 283-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas C. Pierson
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chan-Young Yune ◽  
Beom-Jun Kim

<p>A debris flow with a high speed along valleys has been reported to cause serious damages to urban area or infrastructure. To prevent debris flow disaster, countermeasures for flow-impeding structures are installed on the flow path of debris flows. Recently, an installation of cylindrical baffles which are open-type countermeasures has increased because of a low construction cost, filtering out rocks, and an increased hydraulic continuity. However, a comprehensive design guideline for specification and arrangement on cylindrical baffles has not yet been suggested. Moreover, the design of baffle installation is mainly based on empirical approaches as the influence of baffle array on debris mobility is not well understood. In this study, to investigate the effect of cylindrical baffles on the flow characteristics of debris flow, a series of small-scale flume tests were performed according to the varying baffle height and row numbers of installed baffles. High-speed cameras and digital camera to record the flow interaction with baffles were installed at the top and side of the channel. To reproduce the viscosity of debris flows caused by fine-grained soil in the flume, glycerin was mixed with debris materials (sand and gravel). After the test, the velocity and energy dissipation according to various baffle arrays were estimated. Test results showed that the installation of baffles reduced the frontal velocity of debris flows. Furthermore, taller baffles also increased the effect of the energy dissipation in debris flows, but additional rows of the baffle did not have a major effect on the energy dissipation. Thus, increasing the height of baffle led to an increased efficiency of energy dissipation of debris flows.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1923-1938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumitoshi Imaizumi ◽  
Yuichi S. Hayakawa ◽  
Norifumi Hotta ◽  
Haruka Tsunetaka ◽  
Okihiro Ohsaka ◽  
...  

Abstract. Debris flows usually occur in steep mountain channels and can be extremely hazardous as a result of their destructive power, long travel distance, and high velocity. However, their characteristics in the initiation zones, which could possibly be affected by temporal changes in the accumulation conditions of the storage (i.e., channel gradient and volume of storage) associated with sediment supply from hillslopes and the evacuation of sediment by debris flows, are poorly understood. Thus, we studied the relationship between the flow characteristics and the accumulation conditions of the storage in an initiation zone of debris flow at the Ohya landslide body in Japan using a variety of methods, including a physical analysis, a periodical terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) survey, and field monitoring. Our study clarified that both partly and fully saturated debris flows are important hydrogeomorphic processes in the initiation zones of debris flow because of the steep terrain. The predominant type of flow varied temporally and was affected by the volume of storage and rainfall patterns. Fully saturated flow dominated when the total volume of storage was  <  10 000 m3, while partly saturated flow dominated when the total volume of the storage was  >  15 000 m3. Debris flows form channel topography which reflects the predominant flow types during debris-flow events. Partly saturated debris flow tended to form steeper channel sections (22.2–37.3°), while fully saturated debris flow tended to form gentler channel sections ( <  22.2°). Such relationship between the flow type and the channel gradient could be explained by a simple analysis of the static force at the bottom of the sediment mass.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 2360
Author(s):  
Cheong-Hyeon Oh ◽  
Kyung-Su Choo ◽  
Chul-Min Go ◽  
Jung-Ryel Choi ◽  
Byung-Sik Kim

In recent years, climate change and extreme weather conditions have caused natural disasters of various sizes and forms across the world. The increase in the resulting flood damage and secondary damage has also inflicted massive social and economic harm. Korea is no exception, where debris flows created by typhoons and localized heavy rainfalls have caused human injuries and property damage in the Wumyeonsan Mountain in Seoul, Majeoksan Mountain in Chuncheon, Sinnam in Samcheok, Gokseong in Jeollanam-do, and Anseong in Gyeonggi-do. Disaster damage needs to be minimized by preparing for typhoons and heavy rainfalls that cause debris flow. To that end, we need accurate prediction of rainfall and flooding through simulations based on debris flow models. Most of the previous literature analyzed debris flows using rainfall events in the past before debris flow occurrence, rather than analyzing and predicting based on rainfall predictions. The main body of this study assesses the applicability of hydrological quantitative precipitation forecast (HQPF) generated through a machine learning method named the Random Forest (RF) method to debris flow analysis models. To that end, this study uses scatter plots to compare and analyze the precipitation observation data collected from the areas hit by debris flows in the past, and the quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) and HQPF data from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Based on the verified HQPF data, runoff was calculated using the spatial runoff assessment tool (S-RAT) model, and the soil amount was calculated to simulate the debris flow damage with a two-dimensional rapid mass movements (RAMMS) model. The debris flow simulation based on the said data indicated varying degrees of flow depth, impact force, speed, and damage area depending on the precipitation. The correction of the HQPF was verified by measuring and comparing the spatial location accuracy by analyzing the Lee Sallee shape index (LSSI) of the damage areas. The findings confirm the correction of the HQPF based on machine learning and indicate its applicability to debris flow models.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-149
Author(s):  
Norifumi Hotta ◽  
Tomoyuki Iwata ◽  
Takuro Suzuki ◽  
Yuichi Sakai

ABSTRACT It is essential to consider the fluidity of a debris flow front when calculating its impact. Here we flume-tested mono-granular and bi-granular debris flows and compared the results to those of numerical simulations. We used sand particles with diameters of 0.29 and 0.14 cm at two mixing ratios of 1:1 and 3:7. Particle segregation was recorded with a high-speed video camera. We evaluated the fronts of debris flows at 0.5-second intervals. Then we numerically simulated one-dimensional debris flows under the same conditions and used the mean particle diameter when simulating mixed-diameter flows. For the mono-granular debris flows, the experimental and simulated results showed good agreement in terms of flow depth, front velocity, and flux. However, for the bi-granular debris flows, the simulated flow depth was less, and both the front velocity and flux were greater than those found experimentally. These differences may be attributable to the fact that the dominant shear stress was caused by the concentration of smaller sediment particles in the lower flow layers; such inverse gradations were detected in the debris flow bodies. Under these conditions, most shear stress is supported by smaller particles in the lower layers; the debris flow characteristics become similar to those of mono-granular flows, in contrast to the numerical simulation, which incorporated particle segregation with gradually decreasing mean diameter from the front to the flow body. Consequently, the calculated front velocities were underestimated; particle segregation at the front of the bi-granular debris flows did not affect fluidity either initially or over time.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojun Guo

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abstract: &lt;/strong&gt;Debris flow monitoring provides valuable data for scitienfic research and early warning, however, it is of difficulty to sucessfully achive because of the great damage of debris flows and the high cost. This report introduces monitoring systems in two debris flow watersheds in western China, the Jiangjia gully (JJG) in Yunnan Province and the Ergou valley in Sichuan Province. JJG is loacted in the dry-hot valley of Jinsha River, and the derbis flows are frequent due to the semi-arid climate, deep-cut topography and highly weathered slope surface. A long-term mornitoring work has been conducted in JJG and more than 500 debris flows events has been recorded since 1965. The monitoring system consists of 10 rainfall gauges and a measuring section, with instruments to measure the flow depth and velocity; and flow density is measured through sampling the fresh debris flow body. Ergou lies in the Wenchuan earthquake affected area and the monitoring began in 2013 to investigate the characteristics and development tendency of post-earthquake debris flows. Three stations were set up in the mainstream and tributaries, with instruments to measure the flow depth, velocity, and density. Over 10 debris flow events were recorded up to date.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Based on the monitoring output, the rainfall spatial distribution and thresholds for debris flows are proposed. The debris flow dynamics characteristics are analyzed, and the relations between the parameters, e.g. density, velocity, discharge and grain compositions are presented. The debris flow formation modes and the mechanisms in different regions are discriminated and simulation methods are suggested. It is anticipated that the monitoring results will promote understanding of debris flow characteristics in the western China.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keywords:&lt;/strong&gt; Debris flow, monitoring, rainfall, discharge, formation.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;


2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 683-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Lorente ◽  
S. Beguería ◽  
J. C. Bathurst ◽  
J. M. García-Ruiz

Abstract. Unconfined debris flows (i.e. not in incised channels) are one of the most active geomorphic processes in mountainous areas. Since they can threaten settlements and infrastructure, statistical and physically based procedures have been developed to assess the potential for landslide erosion. In this study, information on debris flow characteristics was obtained in the field to define the debris flow runout distance and to establish relationships between debris flow parameters. Such relationships are needed for building models which allow us to improve the spatial prediction of debris flow hazards. In general, unconfined debris flows triggered in the Flysch Sector of the Central Spanish Pyrenees are of the same order of magnitude as others reported in the literature. The deposition of sediment started at 17.8°, and the runout distance represented 60% of the difference in height between the head of the landslide and the point at which deposition started. The runout distance was relatively well correlated with the volume of sediment.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumitoshi Imaizumi ◽  
Yuichi S. Hayakawa ◽  
Norifumi Hotta ◽  
Haruka Tsunetaka ◽  
Okihiro Ohsaka ◽  
...  

Abstract. Debris flows often occur in steep mountain channels, and can be extremely hazardous as a result of their destructive power, long travel distance, and high velocity. However, their characteristics in the initiation zones, which could possibly be affected by temporal changes in the channel topography associated with sediment supply from hillslopes and the evacuation of sediment by debris flows, are poorly understood. Thus, we studied the interaction between the flow characteristics and the topography in an initiation zone of debris flow at the Ohya landslide body in Japan using a variety of methods, including a physical analysis, a periodical terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) survey, and field monitoring. Our study clarified that both partly and fully saturated debris flows are important hydrogeomorphic processes in the initiation zones of debris flow because of the steep terrain. The predominant type of flow varied temporally and was affected by the volume of storage and rainfall patterns. The small-scale channel gradient (on the order of meters) formed by debris flows differed between the predominant flow types during debris flow events. The relationship between flow type and the slope gradient could be explained by a simple analysis of the static force at the bottom of the sediment mass.


Author(s):  
M. Coco ◽  
E. Marchetti ◽  
O. Morandi

AbstractDebris flows constitute a severe natural hazard in Alpine regions. Studies are performed to understand the event predictability and to identify early warning systems and procedures. These are based both on sensors deployed along the channels or on the amplitude of seismic and infrasound waves radiated by the flow and recorded far away. Despite being very promising, infrasound cannot be used to infer the source characteristics due to the lack of a physical model of the infrasound energy radiated by debris flows. Here the simulation of water flow along a simple channel is presented, experiencing the fall from a dam, performed within the open source simulation code OpenFOAM. The pressure perturbation within the atmosphere produced by the flow is extracted and the infrasound signature of the events as a function of the flow characteristics is defined. Numerical results suggest that infrasound is radiated immediately downstream of the dam with amplitude and period that scale with dam height and water level. Modeled infrasound waveform is interpreted as being produced mostly by waves at the water free surface developing downstream of the dam. Despite the effect of sediments is not considered in this first study and will be implemented in future investigations, numerical results obtained with this simple model are in general agreement with experimental results obtained from array analysis of infrasound data recorded at Illgraben, Switzerland. Results highlight how numerical modeling can provide critical information to define a source mechanism of infrasound energy radiation by debris-flow, that is required also to improve early warning systems.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiannan Meng ◽  
Chris Johnson ◽  
Nico Gray

&lt;p&gt;Dry granular fronts and watery tails often develop in debris flows, but their formation mechanisms are still poorly understood. Dry bouldery debris flow fronts are often attributed to particle-size segregation, but idealized experimental mixtures of fluid and mono-disperse grains also exhibit the formation of dry fronts. This motivates the development of a new depth-averaged model that treats grain-water mixtures as a buoyancy and Darcy drag coupled multiphase medium. This system is able to describe the temporal and spatial evolution of the grain and water depths as well as the associated grain and water depth-averaged velocities. It considers the layered development of the flow and incorporates a shear velocity profile into the model, instead of the standard plug flow assumption that is employed by almost all debris-flow models. By revisiting Davies' moving bed flume experiments, it is shown that, in the under-saturated region, shear results in the surface layer of dry grains moving faster than the bulk and they are preferentially transported to the flow front to develop a dry snout. Conversely, in the over-saturated region, the flow thickness is sufficiently small that the water friction is stronger than the friction acting on the grains. As a result, the surface grains can move faster than the water and leave it behind. This novel theory provides a rational framework that describes the complete longitudinal profile of debris flows from the dry granular front to the pure watery tail without the need to consider particle-size segregation.&lt;/p&gt;


2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-34
Author(s):  
Taro Uchida ◽  
Yuki Nishiguchi ◽  
Brian W. McArdell ◽  
Yoshifumi Satofuka

Physically based numerical simulation models have been developed to predict hazard area relating to debris flows. Since fine sediments are expected to behave as a part of the fluid rather than solid phase in stony debris flows, several models have recently included this process of the phase shift from solid to fluid in the context of fine sediment. However, models have not been fully tested regarding the ability to reproduce a variety of debris flow characteristics. We therefore tested (i) applicability of a numerical simulation model for describing debris flow characteristics and (ii) the effect of phase shift of fine sediment on debris flow behaviors. Herein we applied a numerical simulation model to a well-documented dataset from the Illgraben debris flow observation station in Switzerland. Based on the stony debris flow concept, we physically modeled effects of the phase shift of sediment on transport capacity and flow resistance. We successfully reproduced the observed bulk density, erosion and deposition patterns, front velocity, and erosion rate, although we had to tune the ratio of fine sediment that behaves as a fluid. Considering the effects of the phase shift of sediments, we conclude that physically based numerical simulation models can describe a variety of debris flow behaviors.


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