Local scour and the laws of scour pit’s shape downstream of debris flow sabo dam

The erosion shape and the law of development of debris flow sabo dam downstream is a weak part in the study on debris flow erosion. The shape and development of scour pit have an important effect on the stability and safety of debris flow sabo dam, which determines the foundational depth of the dam and the design of protective measures downstream. Study on the scouring law of sabo dam downstream can evaluate the erosion range and reasonably arrange auxiliary protective engineering. Therefore, a series of flume experiments are carried out including different debris flow characteristics （density is varying from 1.5 t/m3 to 2.1 t/m~） and different gully longitudinal slopes. The result shows that the scour pit appears as an oval shape in a plane and deep in the middle while superficial at the ends in the longitudinal section, the position of the maximum depth point moves towards downstream with an increase of flume slope angle. The maximum depth of scour pit is mainly affected by the longitudinal slope of gully, density of debris flow, and the characteristics of gully composition （particle size and the viscosity of soil）. The result also indicates that the viscosity of soil will weaken the erosion extent. The interior slopes of scour pit are different between the upstream and the downstream, and the downstream slope is smaller than the upper one. For the viscous and non-viscous sands with the same distribution of gradation, the interior slope of non- viscous sand is smaller than the viscous sand.According to tbe regression analysis on the experimental data, the quantitative relationship between the interior slope of scour pit, slope of repose under water and the longitudinal slope of gully is established and it can be used to calculate the interior slope of scour pit. The results can provide the basis for the parameter design of the debris flow control engineering foundation.     

Study on the rainfall and aftershock threshold for debris flow of post-earthquake

Due to the special condition of provenance and disaster environment after "5·12" Earthquake, the probability and conditions of the occurrence of gully debris flow change greatly after the event, which make it difficult to prevent disaster effectively. In this study the hydrological model of ground water table in loose sediment is established. According to infinite slope theory, the safety factor of deposits is defined as the ratio of resistance force to driving force. The starting condition of post-earthquake gully debris flow is clearly studied by analyzing the effects of rainfall intensity, seismic strength, slope gradient and mechanical properties on the balance of accumulation body. Then the formulas of rainfall and aftershock threshold for starting of gully debris flow are proposed, and an example is given to illustrate the effect of rainfall, aftershocks and their coupling action on a debris flow. The result shows the critical rainfall intensity decreases as the lateral seismic acceleration and channel gradient increases, while the critical intensity linearly increases as the friction angle increases.     

Calculation of the ultimate depth of a scour pit after debris flow through drainage canal ribs

Drainage canals are engineering structures widely used for debris flow mitigation. When passing through a drainage canal, debris flow usually scours the gully bed at the back of the rib sill of the drainage canal, which leads to failure of the rib sill. Therefore, the scour depth at the back of the rib sill is an important design problem and it is related to the economic benefits of engineering and service years. To explore the law of the depth of the scour pit after debris flow through drainage canal ribs, we first proposed a formula for the calculation of the maximum scour depth at the back of a rib sill based on energy conservation. We then conducted a series of simulation experiments to test the proposed formula. The experimental results show that the scour depth, trench slope and the distance between ribs all increase with a decrease in debris flow density. We then compared the results of experiments and formula calculations. Through the testing analysis, we found that the calculation results of the conducted formula correspond with the experimental results better. Finally, taking Qipan Gully as an example, we designed the ultimate depth of a drainage canal for debris flow using the calculation formula.     

Types and Causes of Debris Flow Damage to Drainage Channels in the Wenchuan Earthquake Area

Debris flows are among the most common geological disasters in China,and have been particularly frequent in Sichuan Province since the Wenchuan earthquake on 12 May 2008.The construction of debris flow drainage channels is a countermeasure used to distribute debris flow fans,and these channels play a critical role in the mitigation and prevention of damage resulting from debris flows.Under field conditions,the useful life of drainage channels can be greatly shortened as a result of strong abrasions to the drainage structure caused by the debris flow.Field investigations have shown that the types of damage to drainage channels include（a） erosion caused by hyper-concentrated silt flow,（b） impact fractures and foundation scour at the groundsills of the drainage channel,（c） destruction of the drainage channel outlet,and（d） destruction of the drainage channel caused by debris flow abrasion.In addition,based on the destruction of the drainage channel during the debris flow drainage process,a new type of drainage channel with energy dissipation components was proposed and applied in a steep,narrow gully for debris flow mitigation.Moreover,design and engineering repair recommendations for drainage channels are provided as a reference for repairing the damage to the channel.The results can provide an important reference for the effective repair and optimal design of drainage channels.     

Characteristics of a drainage channel with staggered indented sills for controlling debris flows

The characteristics of a new type of drainage channel with staggered indented sills for controlling debris flows were studied. The intermediate fluid in the non-viscous debris flow exhibited a helical movement, whereas the fluid near the sidewall had a stop-start movement pattern; the viscous debris flow exhibited a stable structure between the indented sills. The experimental results indicate that the mean velocity of the debris flow increased with increasing channel gradients, and the debris flow velocity was slightly affected by the angle of the sills. The average velocity of the non-viscous debris flow increased in the range of(0.5–1.5) interval between the indented sills, whereas the average velocity of the viscous debris flow increased initially and then decreased in the range of(0.75–1.25) interval between the indented sills. The depth of the non-viscous debris flow tended to gradually increase as the channel gradients increased, whereas the depth of the viscous debris flow gradually decreased as the channel gradients increased. When the discharge of the debris flow was constant, the angle and the interval between the indented sills had a slight effect on the depth of the viscous debris flow, whereas the depth of the non-viscous debris flow exhibited a different trend, as the sill angles and intervals were varied.     

Effects of loose deposits on debris flow processes in the Aizi Valley,southwest China

Loose deposits, rainfall and topography are three key factors that triggering debris flows.However, few studies have investigated the effects of loose deposits on the whole debris flow process.On June 28, 2012, a catastrophic debris flow occurred in the Aizi Valley, resulting in 40 deaths.The Aizi Valley is located in the Lower Jinsha River,southwestern Sichuan Province, China. The Aizi Valley debris flow has been selected as a case for addressing loose deposits effects on the whole debris flow process through remote sensing, field investigation and field experiments. Remote sensing interpretation and laboratory experiments were used to obtain the distribution and characteristics of the loose deposits, respectively. A field experiment was conducted to explore the mechanics of slope debris flows, and another field investigation was conducted to obtain the processes of debris flow formation, movement and amplification. The results showed that loose deposits preparation, slope debris flow initiation,gully debris flow confluence and valley debris flow amplification were dominated by the loose deposits.Antecedent droughts and earthquake activities may have increased the potential for loose soil sources in the Aizi Valley, which laid the foundation for debris flow formation. Slope debris flow initiated under rainfall, and the increase in the water content as well as the pore water pressure of the loose deposits were the key factors affecting slope failure. The nine gully debris flows converged in the valley, and the peak discharge was amplified 3.3 times due to a blockage and outburst caused by a large boulder. The results may help in predicting and assessing regional debris flows in dry-hot and seismic-prone areas based on loose deposits, especially considering large boulders.     

Effects of spillway types on debris flow trajectory and scour behind a sabo dam

Debris flows are one of the common natural hazards in mountainous areas. They often cause devastating damage to the lives and property of local people. The sabo dam construction along a debris flow valley is considered to be a useful method for hazard mitigation. Previous work has concentrated on the different types of sabo dams such as close-type sabo dam, open-type sabo dam. However, little attention has been paid to the spillway structure of sabo dam. In the paper, a new type of spillway structure with lateral contraction was proposed. Debris flow patterns under four different spillway structures were investigated. The projection theory was employed to predict trajectory of debris flow out from the spillway and to estimate the incident angle and terminal velocity before it plunged into the scour hole behind the sabo dam. The results indicated that the estimated data were in good agreement with the experimental ones. The discrepancy between the estimated and experimental values of main parameters remained below 21.82% (relative error). Additionally, the effects of debris flow scales under different spillway structures were considered to study the scour law. Although the debris flow pattern and scour law behind the sabo dam under different operating conditions was analyzed in this paper, further study on the scour mechanism and the maximum scour depth estimation based on scour theory is still required in the future.     

Effects of river flow velocity on the formation of landslide dams

Natural dams are formed when landslides are triggered by heavy rainfall during extreme weather events in the mountainous areas of Taiwan.During landslide debris movement, two processes occur simultaneously: the movement of landslide debris from a slope onto the riverbed and the erosion of the debris under the action of high-velocity river flow. When the rate of landslide deposition in a river channel is higher than the rate of landslide debris erosion by the river flow, the landslide forms a natural dam by blocking the river channel. In this study, the effects of the rates of river flow erosion and landslide deposition(termed the erosive capacity and depositional capacity, respectively) on the formation of natural dams are quantified using a physics-based approach and are tested using a scaled physical model.We define a dimensionless velocity index vde as the ratio between the depositional capacity of landslide debris(vd) and the erosive capacity of water flow(ve).The experimental test results show that a landslidedam forms when landslide debris moves at high velocity into a river channel where the river-flow velocity is low, that is, the dimensionless velocity index vde 54. Landslide debris will not have sufficient depositional capacity to block stream flow when the dimensionless velocity index vde 47. The depositional capacity of a landslide can be determined from the slope angle and the friction of the sliding surface, while the erosive capacity of a dam can be determined using river flow velocity and rainfall conditions. The methodology described in this paper was applied to seven landslide dams that formed in Taiwan on 8 August 2009 during Typhoon Morakot,the Tangjiashan landslide dam case, and the YingxiuWolong highway K24 landslide case. The dimensionless velocity index presented in this paper can be used before a rainstorm event occurs to determine if the formation of a landslide dam is possible.     

Geomorphologic analysis and physico-dynamic characteristics of Zhatai-Gully debris flows in SW China

Zhatai gully is a typical debris flow channel in Butuo county of Sichuan province, southwestern China. The geomorphologic features are analyzed and the physical-dynamic characteristics are discussed on the basis of field investigation and laboratory tests. Geomorphologic analysis indicates that Zhatai-gully drainage in relation to debris flow can be divided into source area, transport area, and deposition area. The source area has a steep slope and has very limited vegetation cover, which favors runoff, allowing loose solid materials to be mobilized easily and rapidly. In the transport area, there are many small landslides, lateral lobes, and loose materials distributed on both banks. These landslides are active and constantly providing abundant source of soils for the debris flows. In the deposition area, three old debris-flow deposits of different ages can be observed. The dynamic calculation shows that within the recurrence intervals of 50 and 100 years, debris flow discharges are 155.77m³/s and 1y8.19m³/s and deposition volumes are 16.39 x 10⁴ m³ and 18.14 x 10⁴ m³, respectively. The depositional fan of an old debris flow in the outlet of the gully can be subdivided into six layers. There are three debris flow deposits on left and two on the right side of the gully. Grain-size tests of sediments from the soil, gulley bed deposits, and the fresh and old debris flow deposits showed that high amounts of clay and fine gravel were derived from the soil in the source area whereas much of the gravel fraction were sourced from the gully bed deposits. Comprehensive analysis indicates that Zhatai gully is viscous debris-flow gully with moderate to high frequency and moderate to large magnitude debris flows. The risk of a debris flow disaster in Zhatai-gully is moderate and poses a potential threat to the planned hydroelectric dam. Appropriate engineering measures are suggested in the construction and protection of the planned hydroelectric station.     

降雨模式对震后泥石流起动模式影响的试验研究: 以九寨天堂沟为例

降雨过程中降雨强度的变化会影响土体渗透率及饱和过程, 从而改变土体的力学性质, 影响泥石流起动模式及破坏规模。为探究不同降雨模式对震后泥石流起动机制的影响, 自制了小比例模型槽, 结合可控雨型的降雨模拟系统, 进行了人工降雨诱发泥石流的室内模型试验; 基于不同降雨模式下泥石流的起动过程分析, 对坡体内部含水率和孔隙水压力的变化规律进行了研究。研究结果表明: 递增型降雨模式下泥石流发生突然, 呈整体滑坡转化为泥石流起动模式, 坡体破坏规模最大; 递减型降雨模式下表现为后退式溃散失稳起动模式; 均匀型降雨模式下则表现为溯源侵蚀起动模式; 中峰型降雨模式下以局部滑坡转化为泥石流起动模式; Ⅴ型降雨模式下则由坡面侵蚀加剧转化为泥石流启动模式, 破坏规模最小。研究结果可以为九寨沟地区泥石流的预报预警提供参考。      

Characteristics of viscous debris flow in a drainage channel with an energy dissipation structure

A new type of drainage channel with an energy dissipation structure has been proposed based on previous engineering experiences and practical requirements for hazard mitigation in earthquakeaffected areas. Experimental studies were performed to determine the characteristics of viscous debris flow in a drainage channel of this type with a slope of 15%. The velocity and depth of the viscous debris flow were measured, processed, and subsequently used to characterize the viscous debris flow in the drainage channel. Observations of this experiment showed that the surface of the viscous debris flow in a smooth drainage channel was smoother than that of a similar debris flow passing through the energy dissipation section in a channel of the new type studied here. However, the flow patterns in the two types of channels were similar at other points. These experimental results show that the depth of the viscous debris flow downstream of the energy dissipation structure increased gradually with the length of the energy dissipation structure. In addition, in the smooth channel, the viscous debris-flow velocity downstream of the energy dissipation structure decreased gradually with the length of the energy dissipation structure. Furthermore, the viscous debris-flow depth and velocity were slightly affected by variations in the width of the energy dissipation structure when the channel slope was 15%. Finally, the energy dissipation ratio increased gradually as the length and width of the energy dissipation structure increased; the maximum energy dissipation ratio observed was 62.9% (where B = 0.6 m and L/w = 6.0).     

Erosion and transport mechanisms of mine waste along gullies

Mine waste debris flows continue to occur in China, and the disaster prevention and mitigation of these flows faces severe challenges since the mechanisms determining erosion and transport of mine waste along gullies are not yet fully understood. The erosion and delivery process of mine waste heaps was reproduced through flume experiments with the method based on field survey data of the Daxicha mine waste debris flow gully in the Xiaoqinling gold mining area. The results showed that the erosion and movement of mine wastes could be divided into three modes: minimal sediment movement, sediment sorting and delivery, and a large amount of sediment transfer. Moreover, there was an obvious amplification effect on peak discharge along with the formation and failure of temporary landslide dams during the erosion process. The correlation between the coefficient of peak discharge amplification and three dimensionless influencing factors, flume gradient, dimensionless volume, and dimensionless particle size, were comprehensively analyzed. An empirical formula for the coefficient of peak discharge amplification was proposed and verified based on 16 sets of experimental data. These preliminary results can provide a scientific reference for future research on disaster prevention and mitigation of mine waste debris flows.     

Experimental study of entrainment behavior of debris flow over channel inflexion points

On-spot observation and field reconnaissance of debris flows have revealed that inflexion points in the longitudinal profile of a movable channel may easily become unstable points that significantly affect their entrainment behavior. In this study, small-scale flume experiments were performed to investigate the entrainment characteristics of debris flows over two types of inflexion points, namely, a convex point, which has an upslope gradient that is less than the downslope gradient; and a concave point, which has an upslope gradient that is greater than the downslope gradient. It was observed that when debris flowed over a convex point, the entrainment developed gradually and progressively from the convex point in the downstream direction, and the primary control factors were the slope gradient and friction angle. Conversely, when debris flowed over a concave point, the entrainment was characterized by impacting and impinging erosion rather than traditional hydraulic erosion, and the impingement angle of the flow significantly determined the maximum erosion depth and outflow exit angle. An empirical relationship between the topography change and the control factors was obtained from the experimental data.     

贵州省喀斯特地区泥石流灾害易发性评价

贵州省独特的喀斯特山地环境对地质灾害的孕育有其特有的作用机理。本文初选了10个相关因子进行GIS的方差分析及相关性分析,以筛选喀斯特山区泥石流灾害的主要影响因子及灾害易发性评价。结果表明,研究区内土壤侵蚀因子对泥石流灾害的贡献作用最为显著,断层的影响作用不明显。土壤侵蚀、坡度、坡向、岩石性质、土地利用方式、归一化植被指数（NDVI）、到沟谷的距离及>25 mm日数8个影响因子,具有良好的独立性和代表性,是研究区内泥石流易发性评价的最佳指标;泥石流主要分布在贵州西部云贵高原边境、北部大娄山、东北雾灵山及苗岭等地带,占全省面积的29.51%,贵州中部及东南部泥石流易发程度较低;极高易发区泥石流的分布密度是极低易发区的19倍,其主要的环境特征表现为坡度大、植被覆盖率较低,旱地与工矿用地分布多,土壤侵蚀严重;加强旱地、工矿用地及低植被覆盖区的合理利用及管理,是减少泥石流灾害发生的有效途径。     

Nonlinear morphologica l characteristics of debris flow in Dongcheng area of Helong, Jilin

Helong City is located in the northeastern Changbai Mountain with a poor geological environment, there often occur debris flows, collapses and landslides; especially debris flows restrict the local economic development. Based on fractal theory and the surveying data of 34 debris flows, the authors studied fractal feature of debris flow gully and its various situations of fractal dimensions in different observation scales. The nonlinear relation reveals the development of non-uniformity and self similarity of debris flow gully.     

Debris flows introduced in landslide deposits under rainfall conditions: The case of Wenjiagou gully

Debris flows often occur in landslide deposits during heavy rainstorms. Debris flows are initiated by surface water runoff and unsaturated seepage under rainfall conditions. A physical model based on an infinitely long, uniform and void-rich sediment layer was applied to analyze the triggering of debris-flow introduced in landslide deposits. To determine the initiation condition for rainfall-induced debris flows, we conducted a surface water runoff and saturated-unsaturated seepage numerical program to model rainfall infiltration and runoff on a slope. This program was combined with physical modeling and stability analysis to make certain the initiation condition for rainfall-introduced debris flows. Taking the landslide deposits at Wenjiagou gully as an example, the initiation conditions for debris flow were computed. The results show that increase height of surface-water runoff and the decrease of saturated sediment shear strength of are the main reasons for triggering debris-flows under heavy rainfall conditions. The debris-flow triggering is affected by the depth of surface-water runoff, the slope saturation and shear strength of the sediment.     

Experimental study on the energy dissipation characteristics of debris flow deceleration baffles

Debris flow can cause serious damages to roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructures.Arranging several rows of deceleration baffles in the significant influence on the mobility and deposition characteristic of debris flow. The deposit amount first increased then decreased when the flow density rises,flow path can reduce the flow velocity and ensure better protection of life and property. In debris flow prevention projects, deceleration baffles can effectively reduce the erosion of the debris flow and prolong the running time of the drainage channel.This study investigated the degree to which a 6 m long flume and three rows of deceleration baffles reduce the debris flow velocity and affect the energy dissipation characteristics. The influential variables include channel slope, debris flow density, and spacing between baffle rows. The experimental results demonstrated that the typical flow pattern was a sudden increase in flow depth and vertical proliferation when debris flow flows through the baffles. Strong turbulence between debris flow and baffles can contribute to energy dissipation and decrease the kinematic velocity considerably. The results showed that the reduction ratio of velocity increased with the increase in debris flow density,channel slope and spacing between rows. Tests phenomena also indicated that debris flow density hasand the deposit amount of debris flow density of 1500kg/m~3 reached the maximum when the experimental flume slope is 12°.     

Natural consolidation characteristics of viscous debris flow deposition

Pore water pressure and water content are important indicators to both deposition and consolidation of debris flows, enabling a direct assessment of consolidation degree. This article gained a more comprehensive understanding about the entire consolidation process and focused on exploring pore water pressure and volumetric water content variations of the deposit body during natural consolidation under different conditions taking the viscous debris flow mass as a study subject and by flume experiments. The results indicate that, as the color of the debris changed from initial dark green to grayish-white color, the initial deposit thickness declined by 3% and 2.8% over a permeable and impermeable sand bed, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between pore water pressure and depth in the deposit for both scenarios, with deeper depths being related to greater pore water pressure. For the permeable environment, the average dissipation rate of pore water pressure measured at depths of 0.10 m and 0.05 m were 0.0172 Pa/d and 0.0144 Pa/d, respectively, showing a positivechanging trend with increasing depth. Under impermeable conditions, the average dissipation rates at different depths were similar, while the volumetric water content in the deposit had a positive correlation with depth. The reduction of water content in the deposit accelerated with depth under impermeable sand bed boundary conditions, but was not considerably correlated with depth under permeable sand bed boundary conditions. However, the amount of discharged water from the deposit was greater and consolidation occurred faster in permeable conditions. This indicates that the permeability of the boundary sand bed has a significant impact on the progress of consolidation. This research demonstrates that pore water and pressure dissipations are present during the entire viscous debris consolidation process. Contrasting with dilute flows, pore pressure dissipation in viscous flows cannot be completed in a matter of minutes or even hours, requiring longer completion time — 3 to 5 days and even more. Additionally, the dissipation of the pore water pressure lagged the reduction of the water content. During the experiment, the dissipation rate fluctuated substantially, indicating a close relationship betweenthe dissipation process and the physical properties of broadly graded soils.     

Mechanism of mining-induced slope movement for gullies overlaying shallow coal seams

This paper provides an improved understanding of the movement mechanisms of both bed-rock gully and sandy soil gully when underground mining occurs underneath, followed by systematic analysis of the contributing factors such as mining advance direction, gully slope angle, gully erosion coefficient and mining height. This paper presents the results from monitoring, theoretical analyses and up to date modeling based on the geological features in the gully affected area, and the implications of these results to the success of roof support trial. It was observed that when mining occurred towards the gully, sliding of slope block along the fracture surface occurred, which resulted in unstable roof condition; when mining progressed away from the gully, polygon blocks developed in the gully slope and rotated in reversed direction forming hinged structure; within the bed-rock slope, the hinged structure was unstable due to shear failure of the polygon block; however, within the sandy soil slope, the structure was relatively stable due to the gradual rotating and subsiding of the polygon block. The increase of the value of slope angle and mining height lead to a faster and more intensive fracture development within the gully slope, which had a pronounced effect on gully slope stability and underground pressure. Various remediation approaches are hence proposed in this paper including introducing more powerful support and reasonable mining height, setting up working face along or away from gullies, using room and pillar, strip mining and backfill instead of longwall mining.     

Experimental Investigation of Local Scour Around Artificial Reefs in Steady Currents

Artificial reef is a man-made object that is deployed purposefully on the seafloor to restore the offshore fishery resources and the ecological environment.To secure its ecological effects,it is important to study the possible instability of artificial reefs,like drifting and reversing caused by burial and scour in different seafloor conditions.In the present study,experiments of local scour around an artificial reef are carried out in steady currents.The effect of the open-area ratios and the open-hole heights of the cubic reefs,and the bottom angles of the triangular reefs on the time-scale of the scour process and the equilibrium scour depth are investigated.The results indicate that for the cubic artificial reef,the scour depth decreases with the increasing open-area ratios,and increases with the increasing open-hole heights.In the present study,the optimal prototype of the cubic reef with an open-area ratio of 0.49 and open-height of 0.7 m produces the minimum scour depth.For the triangular reef,the scour depth increases when the bottom angle increases.Moreover,based on the experimental results,empirical equations of the effects of the cut-opening and the bottom angle on the maximum equilibrium scour depth are proposed.The formulas will provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the optimized design and construction of artificial reefs.