scholarly journals Analysis of the ground vibration produced by debris flows and other torrential processes at the Rebaixader monitoring site (Central Pyrenees, Spain)

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 4389-4423 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Abancó ◽  
M. Hürlimann ◽  
J. Moya
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Ground Vibration ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Vibration Sensors ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Flow Detection ◽  
Central Pyrenees

Abstract. The use of ground vibration sensors for debris-flow monitoring has increased in the last two decades. However, the correct interpretation of the seismic signals produced by debris flows still presents many uncertainties. In the Rebaixader monitoring site (Central Pyrenees, Spain) two different ground vibration stations with different characteristics in terms of recording systems and site-specific factors have been compared. The shape of the time series has been recognised as one of the key parameters to identify events and to distinguish between different types of torrential processes. The results show that the site-specific factors strongly influence on the ground vibration registered at each geophone. The attenuation of the signal with the distance has been identified as linear to exponential. In addition, the assembly of the geophones to the terrain also has an important effect on the amplification of the signal. All these results highlight that the definition of ground vibration thresholds for debris-flow detection or warning purposes is a difficult task which is clearly influenced by site-specific conditions of the geophones.

scholarly journals Analysis of the ground vibration generated by debris flows and other torrential processes at the Rebaixader monitoring site (Central Pyrenees, Spain)

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 929-943 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Abancó ◽  
M. Hürlimann ◽  
J. Moya
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Ground Vibration ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Velocity Signal ◽  
Vibration Sensors ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Flow Detection ◽  
Central Pyrenees

Abstract. Monitoring of debris flows using ground vibration sensors has increased in the last two decades. However, the correct interpretation of the signals still presents ambiguity. In the Rebaixader monitoring site (Central Pyrenees, Spain) two different ground vibration stations are installed. At the first station the ground velocity signal is transformed into an impulses-per-second signal (low frequency, 1 Hz). The analysis of the data recorded at this station show that the shape of the impulses signal is one of the key parameters to describe the evolution of the event. At the second station the ground velocity signal is directly recorded at high frequency (250 Hz). The results achieved at this station show that the differences in time series and spectral analysis are helpful to describe the temporal evolution of the events. In addition, some general outcomes were obtained: the attenuation of the signal with the distance has been identified as linear to exponential; and the assembly of the geophones to the terrain has an important effect on the amplification of the signal. All these results highlight that the definition of ground vibration thresholds for debris-flow detection or warning purposes is a difficult task; and that influence of site-specific conditions is notable.

Results and experiences gathered at the Rebaixader debris-flow monitoring site, Central Pyrenees, Spain

Landslides ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 939-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hürlimann ◽  
C. Abancó ◽  
J. Moya ◽  
I. Vilajosana
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Central Pyrenees

Outlining a stepwise, multi-parameter debris flow monitoring and warning system: an example of application in Aizi Valley, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ningsheng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Vibration Sensors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Critical Rainfall

<p>Abstract: In recent years, the increasing frequency of debris flow demands enhanced effectiveness and efficiency are essential not only from an economic point of view but are also considered as a frontline approach to alleviate hazards. Currently, the key issues are the imbalance between the limited lifespan of equipment, the relatively long period between the recurrences of such hazards, and the wide range of critical rainfall that trigger these disasters. This paper attempt to provide a stepwise multi-parameter debris flow warning system after taking into account the shortcomings observed in other warning systems. The whole system is divided into five stages. Different warning levels can be issued based on the critical rainfall thresholds. Monitoring starts when early warning is issued and it continues with debris flow near warning, movement warning and hazard warning stages. For early warning, historical archives of earthquake and drought are used to choose a debris flow susceptible site for further monitoring, Secondly, weather forecasts provide an alert of possible near warning. Hazardous precipitation, model calculation and debris flow initiation tests, pore pressure sensors and water content sensors are combined to check the critical rainfall and to publically announce a triggering warning. In the final two stages, equipment such as rainfall gauges, flow stage sensors, vibration sensors, low sound sensors and infrasound meters are used to assess movement processes and issue hazard warnings. In addition to these warnings, community-based knowledge and information is also obtained and discussed in detail. The proposed stepwise, multi-parameter debris flow monitoring and warning system has been applied in Aizi valley China which continuously monitors the debris flow activities.</p>

Multiple debris flow surges monitored directly by DFLP system at Kamikamihori Creek

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Itoh ◽  
Takahiko Nagayama ◽  
Satoru Matsuda ◽  
Takahisa Mizuyama
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Volcanic Activity ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Relative Mass ◽  
Geophysical Research ◽  
Monitoring Method ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Sediment Particles

<p>The monitoring method for direct debris flow measurements using loadcells and so on, that were preliminary developed by WSL in Switzerland (McArdell et al., 2007), was firstly installed in Sakura-jima Island in Japan, where volcanic activity was severe, and many debris flows took place due to deposition of falling ash after eruptions. Debris Flow measurements with Loadcells and Pressure sensors (DFLP) system was installed referring to the method by WSL, and debris flow characteristics such as specific weight and volumetric sediment concentration have been obtained (e.g., Osaka et al., 2014).</p><p> In Japan, as well as in Sakura-jima island, attempts for debris flow monitoring were also carried out at KamiKamihori Creek since 1970s (e.g., Okuda et al., 1980), and there were a lot of debris flow events due to heavy rainfall. KamiKamihori Creek is at western side of Mt. Yake, where volcanic activity was severe at those time. The DFLP system was modified and installed there in November in 2014, because there were a lot of sediment deposition and debris flows took place though volcanic activity has been inactive. Present research could report the following results.  </p><p>(1) Multiple debris floe over five surges were monitored using DFLP system installed in 2014 during 15 minutes in debris flow events on August 29th, 2019. Rainfall intensity for 10 minutes was 12 mm and accumulated depth was 56 mm just before those events. Antecedent time before those events was 4.5 hours.</p><p>(2) The DFLP system measured multiple debris flow surges in events on August 29th, 2019, and sediment concentration was calculated temporary and continuously. Time-averaged sediment concentration and relative mass density are calculated as 0.470 and 1.73, respectively, under flow discharge obtained by images analysis of CCTV video camera. Equilibrium sediment concentration of coarse sediment particles is estimated 0.160 for bed slope of 0.141 (8 degrees) and calculated value using the DFLP system is over than the equilibrium value because of mud phase due to fine sediment particles.</p><p> </p><p>References</p><p>McArdell B.W., Bartelt P., Kowalski J. (2007). Field observations of basal forces and fluid pore pressure in a debris flow, Geophysical Research Letters, Vo. 34, L07406.</p><p>Okuda, S., Suwa, H., Okunishi, K., Yokoyama, K., and Nakano, M. (1980). Observation of the motion of debris flow and its geomorphological effects, Zeitschrift fur Geomorphology, Suppl.-Bd.35, pp. 142–163.</p><p>Osaka T., Utsunomiya R., Tagata S., Itoh T., Mizuyama T. (2014). Debris Flow Monitoring using Load Cells in Sakurajima Island, Proceedings of the Interpraevent 2014 in the Pacific Rim (edited by Fujita, M. et al.), Nov. 25-28, Nara, Japan, 2014, O-14.pdf in DVD.</p>

scholarly journals Transformation of Ground Vibration Signal for Debris-Flow Monitoring and Detection in Alarm Systems

Sensors ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 4870-4891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clàudia Abancó ◽  
Marcel Hürlimann ◽  
Bruno Fritschi ◽  
Christoph Graf ◽  
José Moya
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Ground Vibration ◽  
Vibration Signal ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Alarm Systems

Debris flow monitoring in China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojun Guo
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Western China ◽  
Flow Density ◽  
Flow Depth ◽  
Jinsha River ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Jiangjia Gully ◽  
Set Up

<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>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.</p><p>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.</p><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Debris flow, monitoring, rainfall, discharge, formation. </p>

scholarly journals Rapid Detection and Location of Debris Flow Initiation at Illgraben, Switzerland

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Walter ◽  
Arnaud Burtin ◽  
Brian McArdell ◽  
Niels Hovius ◽  
Bianca Weder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Rapid Detection ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Data Communication ◽  
Ground Vibration ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Phase Identification ◽  
Processing Scheme ◽  
Single Station

Abstract. Heavy precipitation can suddenly mobilize tens to hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of sediments in steep Alpine torrents. The resulting debris flows (mixtures of water, sediments and boulders) move downstream with velocities of several meters per second and have a high destructive potential. Warning schemes for affected communities rely on raising awareness to the debris flow threat, precipitation monitoring and rapid detection methods. The latter, in particular, remain an ongoing challenge, because debris-flow-prone torrents have their catchments in steep and inaccessible terrain, where installing and maintaining instrumentation is difficult. Here, we propose a simple processing scheme for seismic network data. We use debris flow and noise seismograms from Illgraben, Switzerland, a torrent, which produces several debris flow events per year. Automatic in-situ detection is currently based on geophones mounted on concrete check dams and radar stage sensors hung above the channel. The proposed approach has the advantage that it uses seismometers, which can be installed at more accessible locations, and where a stable connection to portable phone networks is available for data communication. Our data processing uses time-averaged ground vibration amplitudes to estimate the location of the debris flow front. Applied to continuous data streams, inversion of the seismic amplitude decay eliminates the need for single-station-based detection and knowledge of the local seismic velocity model. This makes the approach suitable for automation, as seismic phase identification is unnecessary and the amplitude averaging significantly reduces data volume. We apply our approach to a small debris flow event on 19 July 2011, which was captured with a temporary monitoring network. The processing rapidly detects the debris flow event half an hour before its front arrives at the torrent mouth and 8 minutes before detection by the current alarm system. An analysis of continuous seismic records furthermore indicates that detectability of Illgraben debris flows of this size are unaffected by changing environmental and cultural seismic noise. We therefore propose that our method reliably detects initiation of the Illgraben debris flows and can thus form an important ingredient in the next generation of early warning schemes.

scholarly journals Analysis of different water-sediment flow processes in a mountain torrent

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 783-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Arattano ◽  
L. Franzi
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Rheological Behaviour ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Water Flows ◽  
Field Investigations ◽  
Load Transport ◽  
Bed Load Transport ◽  
Sediment Flow

Abstract. Sediment – water flows occurring in mountain torrents may show a variety of regimes, ranging from water flows with transport of individual particles to massive transport of debris, as it occurs in case of debris flows. Sometimes it is possible, by means of accurate field investigations, to identify the kind of processes that took place in a torrent after the occurrence of an event. However this procedure cannot give indications regarding the development of the process in time. In fact, because of the frequent presence of different surges within the same event, the rheological characteristics of an event can be detected only when some recorded hydrographs or videos are available. For the same reason, since the rheological behaviour of the flow changes according to the solid concentration, the analysis of the materials deposited on the debris fan cannot directly give any information on the particular types of flow that took place: a possible alternation in time of different water sediment surges with different concentrations may have occurred, during the same event. The installation of ultrasonic gauges or videocameras along the torrent might give more information on this issue. To this regard, the analysis of a flow event which occurred in 2002 in the Moscardo torrent watershed, instrumented for debris flow monitoring, has been undertaken, studying the hydrographs recorded at two different ultrasonic gauges placed at a known distance along the torrent. An empirical flow resistance law has been applied analysing the values assumed by its parameters after calibration. The application of this law actually spans from debris flow and immature debris flow to bed load transport. Only field observations and surveys, together with ultrasonic data, may allow to clearly discriminate which type of flow really occurred. The analysis confirms that different water sediment surges alternated in time while the mathematical simulation of the flow compared with field observations revealed that the dynamic behaviour of the flow was different from that of previous debris flow events and might reflect, among the different types of possible rheological behaviors, a dilatant-type behavior typical of stony debris flows.

scholarly journals Acoustic module of the Acquabona (Italy) debris flow monitoring system

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Galgaro ◽  
P. R. Tecca ◽  
R. Genevois ◽  
A. M. Deganutti
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Regression Line ◽  
Front Velocity ◽  
Peak Discharge ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Flow Depth ◽  
Ground Vibrations ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Flow Monitoring

Abstract. Monitoring of debris flows aimed to the assessment of their physical parameters is very important both for theoretical and practical purposes. Peak discharge and total volume of debris flows are crucial for designing effective countermeasures in many populated mountain areas where losses of lives and property damage could be avoided. This study quantifies the relationship between flow depth, acoustic amplitude of debris flow induced ground vibrations and front velocity in the experimental catchment of Acquabona, Eastern Dolomites, Italy. The analysis of data brought about the results described in the following. Debris flow depth and amplitude of the flow-induced ground vibrations show a good positive correlation. Estimation of both mean front velocity and peak discharge can be simply obtained monitoring the ground vibrations, through geophones installed close to the flow channel; the total volume of debris flow can be so directly estimated from the integral of the ground vibrations using a regression line. The application of acoustic technique to debris flow monitoring seems to be of the outmost relevance in risk reduction policies and in the correct management of the territory. Moreover this estimation is possible in other catchments producing debris flows of similar characteristics by means of their acoustic characterisation through quick and simple field tests (Standard Penetration Tests and seismic refraction surveys).

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