scholarly journals A Case Study on the Closed-Type Barrier Effect on Debris Flows at Mt. Woomyeon, Korea in 2011 via a Numerical Approach

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 7890
Author(s):  
Shin-Kyu Choi ◽  
Tae-Hyuk Kwon

Debris flows are capable of flowing with high velocities and causing significant economic and infrastructural damage. As a hazard mitigation measure, physical barriers are frequently installed to dissipate the energy of debris flows. However, there is a lack of understanding on how barriers affect and interact with debris-flow behavior (e.g., velocity and volume). This study investigated the changes in debris-flow characteristics depending on the installation location of barriers. Mt. Woomyeon, which is located in Seoul, Korea, was the site of a major debris-flow event in 2011. This study modeled this event using DAN3D, numerical software based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). Our numerical approach assessed changes in debris-flow behavior, including velocity and volume, as the debris flow interacts with four closed-type barriers installed at separate points along the flow path. We used DAN3D to model the barriers via terrain elevation modifications. The presence of a closed-type barrier results in the reduction in the debris-flow velocity and volume compared to when no barrier is present. Most notably, the closer a barrier is installed to the debris source, the greater the velocity decrease. By contrast, a barrier that is constructed further downstream allows the debris flow to undergo entrainment-driven growth before confronting the barrier, resulting in a larger debris deposition volume that can often cause overflow, as shown at our particular study site. The presented results highlight the effectiveness of barriers as a method of hazard mitigation by providing insight into how such installations can alter debris-flow behavior. In addition, the findings can provide a reference for future debris-flow barrier designs, increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of such barrier systems.

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Wang ◽  
Anping Shu ◽  
Matteo Rubinato ◽  
Mengyao Wang ◽  
Jiping Qin

Non-homogeneous viscous debris flows are characterized by high density, impact force and destructiveness, and the complexity of the materials they are made of. This has always made these flows challenging to simulate numerically, and to reproduce experimentally debris flow processes. In this study, the formation-movement process of non-homogeneous debris flow under three different soil configurations was simulated numerically by modifying the formulation of collision, friction, and yield stresses for the existing Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The results obtained by applying this modification to the SPH model clearly demonstrated that the configuration where fine and coarse particles are fully mixed, with no specific layering, produces more fluctuations and instability of the debris flow. The kinetic and potential energies of the fluctuating particles calculated for each scenario have been shown to be affected by the water content by focusing on small local areas. Therefore, this study provides a better understanding and new insights regarding intermittent debris flows, and explains the impact of the water content on their formation and movement processes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anping Shu ◽  
Shu Wang ◽  
Matteo Rubinato ◽  
Mengyao Wang ◽  
Jiping Qin ◽  
...  

Dam-break flows may change into debris flows if certain conditions are satisfied, such as abundant loose material and steep slope. These debris flows are typically characterized by high density and can generate strong impact forces. Due to the complexity of the materials that they are made of, it has always been very challenging to numerically simulate these phenomena and accurately reproduce experimentally debris flows’ processes. Therefore, to fill this gap, the formation-movement processes of debris flows induced by dam-break were simulated numerically, modifying the existing smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. By comparing the shape and the velocity of dam break debris flows under different configurations, it was found that when simulating the initiation process, the number of particles in the upstream section is overestimated while the number of particles in the downstream area is underestimated. Furthermore, the formation process of dam-break debris flow was simulated by three models which consider different combinations of the viscous force, the drag force and the virtual mass force. The method taking into account all these three kinds of interface forces produced the most accurate outcome for the numerical simulation of the formation process of dam-break debris flow. Finally, it was found that under different interface force models, the particle velocity distribution did not change significantly. However, the direction of the particle force changed, which is due to the fact that the SPH model considers generalized virtual mass forces, better replicating real case scenarios. The modalities of dam failures have significant impacts on the formation and development of debris flows. Therefore, the results of this study will help authorities to select safe sites for future rehabilitation and relocation projects and can also be used as an important basis for debris flow risk management. Future research will be necessary to understand more complex scenarios to investigate mechanisms of domino dam-failures and their effects on debris flows propagation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuai Li ◽  
Xiaoqing Chen ◽  
Chong Peng ◽  
Jiangang Chen

<p>Drainage channel with step-pool systems are widely used to control debris flow. However, the blocking of debris flow often gives rise to local damage at the steps and baffles. Hence, the estimation of impact force of debris flow is crucial for design step-pools channel. This paper presents a numerical study on the impact behavior of debris flows using SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) method. Some important parameters, such as the baffle shape (square, triangle, and trapezoid) and the densities of debris flows are considered to examine their influence on the impact force. The results show that the largest peak impact force is obtained at the second last baffle, rather than the first baffle. Moreover, the square baffle gives rise to the largest impact force whereas the triangle baffle bears the smallest one among the three baffles. Generally, the peak impact force increases with increasing the inflow density. However, a threshold density, beyond which the peak impact force will decrease, is suggested by the simulations. Based on the numerical results, an improved expression to predict the impact force considering the inclined angle of baffle is proposed.</p>


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.


2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S246) ◽  
pp. 271-272
Author(s):  
C.-P. Lajoie ◽  
A. Sills

AbstractWe present preliminary work on the formation scenario of blue straggler stars by mass transfer in binary systems. More precisely, using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), we want to model only the outer parts of the stars in order to get a much greater spatial resolution of the mass transfer flow itself. The inner boundary conditions are achieved using the so-called ghost particles and by replacing the inner mass by a central point mass. Stability of this central point mass is crucial, and it is shown that we get reasonable results. These simulations should give us indications on which layers of the donor star are actually transferred to the other star as well as how mass is transferred and how it settles on the accretor. This work is aimed at getting distinct observational signatures which would help identifying the dominant formation mechanism of blue straggler stars.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.34) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Seokil Jeong ◽  
Junseon Lee ◽  
Chang Geun Song ◽  
Seung Oh Lee

Background/Objectives: Due to the extreme climate and the localized heavy rain, the frequency of debris flow has been increasing. Therefore, there is a growing expectation for accurate numerical analysis.Methods/Statistical analysis: We present a prediction method that can calculate the propagation length of the debris flow. This analysis indicates the relationship between the potential energy and the propagation length of the debris flow. To study the behavior of the debris flow accurately, the change in the momentum force must be considered; otherwise the calculation accuracy of the debris flow behavior is inevitably low.Findings: Entrainment is a common behavior in a debris flow that leads to changes in the momentum force. Here, we analyzed the change in the momentum force using a 2D simulation model that included entrainment. The results show how the debris flow behaves with changes in the momentum force. When entrainment is considered, the propagation length tends to be underestimated. With detailed information, the uncertainty in the prediction accuracy can be reduced.Improvements/Applications: If studies on the material properties of debris flow would be added, it will be possible to carry out various and accurate analysis of the debris flow  


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.


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