Rainfall characteristics and thresholds for periglacial debris flows in the Parlung Zangbo Basin,southeast Tibetan Plateau

The Parlung Zangbo Basin in the southeastern Tibet Plateau is affected by the summer monsoon from the Indian Ocean, which produces large rainfall gradients in the basin. Rainfall data during 2012–2015 from five new meteorological stations are used to analyse the rainfall characteristics. The daily rainfall, rainfall duration, mean rainfall intensity, and peak rainfall intensity are consistent, but sometimes contrasting. For example, these values decrease with increasing altitude, and the gradient is large downstream and small upstream, respectively. Moreover, the rainfall intensity peaks between 01:00 and 06:00 and increases during the afternoon. Based on the analysis of 14 debris flow cases in the basin, differences in the rainfall threshold differ depending on the location as sediment varieties. The sediment in the middle portions of the basin is wet and well structured; thus, long-duration, high-intensity rainfall is required to generate debris flows. Ravels in the upstream area are arid and not well structured, and short-duration rainfall is required to trigger debris flows. Between the above two locations, either long-duration, low-intensity rainfall or short-duration, high-intensity rainfall could provoke debris flows. Clearly, differences in rainfall characteristics and rainfall thresholds that are associated with the location must be considered in debris flow monitoring and warnings.     

Analysis of rainfall preceding debris flows on the Smědavská hora Mt., Jizerské hory Mts., Czech Republic

In August 2010, extreme rainfall affected the north of the Czech Republic and caused regional floods and landslides. Three torrential debris flows originated in the Jizerské hory Mts., close to Bílý Potok on the north slope of the Smědavská hora Mt. The rainfall situation which triggered the debris flow was analyzed and compared with the rainfall situation in 1958 when a debris flow occurred in the same area. The rainfall data were obtained from rain gauges of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Four rain gauges were chosen close to the Smědavská hora Mt. with data of daily amounts from 1983 to 2013 and 10-min intensity or hourly amounts from the specific period. The data from 1958 were available from three different rain gauges (only daily amounts). The data series were not complete so linear regression was applied to interpolate them. A number of analyses were carried out including daily rainfall, 2-day/3-day moving values, antecedent precipitation index (API) of 5/10/30 days, 10-min intensity, and hourly amounts, and the trigger factor of the debris flow in the study area was also investigated. It was determined that for the triggering of debris flows, both high API values as well as high-intensity short-duration rainfall is needed. It was documented that in cases of solely high API indices or high-intensity short-duration rainfalls, no debris flows were initiated.     

坡面泥石流降雨预报模型

中国东部地区的地质灾害多以坡面泥石流的形式发生,预测预报坡面泥石流的发生对于开展防灾减灾具有重要意义。地形、地质和降雨三大条件是影响坡面泥石流发生的主要条件。通过选择同样地质条件和基本相同降雨条件的区域,研究影响坡面泥石流发生的地形条件,并得出可以用于坡面泥石流预报的坡面泥石流地形条件。结果表明:地形条件由坡面坡度因子、泥石流上部因子、泥石流侧面因子和临空面因子组成;较大的地形条件T对应较大的泥石流发生可能性;降雨条件由泥石流发生前的降雨量与1 h降雨量组成;得出了由地形条件T和降雨条件R组成的坡面泥石流预报条件P,P值越大,坡面泥石流发生的可能性越大。预报条件P可以预报坡面泥石流的发生。     

Wildfire impacts on the processes that generate debris flows in burned watersheds

Every year, and in many countries worldwide, wildfires cause significant damage and economic losses due to both the direct effects of the fires and the subsequent accelerated runoff, erosion, and debris flow. Wildfires can have profound effects on the hydrologic response of watersheds by changing the infiltration characteristics and erodibility of the soil, which leads to decreased rainfall infiltration, significantly increased overland flow and runoff in channels, and movement of soil. Debris-flow activity is among the most destructive consequences of these changes, often causing extensive damage to human infrastructure. Data from the Mediterranean area and Western United States of America help identify the primary processes that result in debris flows in recently burned areas. Two primary processes for the initiation of fire-related debris flows have been so far identified: (1) runoff-dominated erosion by surface overland flow; and (2) infiltration-triggered failure and mobilization of a discrete landslide mass. The first process is frequently documented immediately post-fire and leads to the generation of debris flows through progressive bulking of storm runoff with sediment eroded from the hillslopes and channels. As sediment is incorporated into water, runoff can convert to debris flow. The conversion to debris flow may be observed at a position within a drainage network that appears to be controlled by threshold values of upslope contributing area and its gradient. At these locations, sufficient eroded material has been incorporated, relative to the volume of contributing surface runoff, to generate debris flows. Debris flows have also been generated from burned basins in response to increased runoff by water cascading over a steep, bedrock cliff, and incorporating material from readily erodible colluvium or channel bed. Post-fire debris flows have also been generated by infiltration-triggered landslide failures which then mobilize into debris flows. However, only 12% of documented cases exhibited this process. When they do occur, the landslide failures range in thickness from a few tens of centimeters to more than 6 m, and generally involve the soil and colluvium-mantled hillslopes. Surficial landslide failures in burned areas most frequently occur in response to prolonged periods of storm rainfall, or prolonged rainfall in combination with rapid snowmelt or rain-on-snow events.     

浅层滑坡诱发沟谷泥石流的地形和降雨条件

2011年贵州省望谟县打易镇的大范围浅层滑坡诱发的沟谷泥石流提供了研究这类泥石流地形和降雨条件的机会。在地质条件一致和小区域内的降雨条件基本一致的情况下,地形条件就是这些泥石流暴发与否的唯一决定因素。对比一些重要的地形因素与泥石流暴发的关系,得出了由流域面积、沟床纵比降和25°~45°山坡坡度面积比组成的泥石流综合地形因子T。在地形因子T的基础上,研究获得了由前期降雨量、1 h降雨强度、年平均降雨量等组成的降雨因子R。由地形因子T和降雨因子R获得的临界条件P可以判断该区域的泥石流暴发。由于研究工作部分基于泥石流的形成机理,研究成果还可用于其他区域的泥石流形成预测,为泥石流的预测预报提供了一个较好的方法。     

汶川震区银厂沟区域818暴雨泥石流灾害成灾机理与特征

2012年8月18日汶川震区的银厂沟区域暴发群发性泥石流,造成人员伤亡,公路、房屋等基础设施严重受损。这场泥石流灾害发生在汶川地震极震区内,是地震与强降雨共同作用下的结果,因此研究其成灾机制和灾害特征对于进一步认识强震区泥石流活动具有重要意义。本研究采用地面调查和遥感解译方法,分析银厂沟区域泥石流形成条件的变化。研究结果表明强震条件下崩塌、滑坡等产生的松散固体物质,是泥石流活动的物质基础; 沟道受松散岩土体堵塞,有利于泥石流规模放大; 快速激发型的雨量特征为泥石流暴发提供了动力。在此基础上讨论了泥石流起动、运动和堆积过程,总结了泥石流活动特征,发现泥石流沿发震断裂呈带状分布,成因组合上属于降雨控制型,尚处于青年期,且在成灾模式上满足致承耦合效应。     

A hypoplastic constitutive model for debris materials

Debris flow is a very common and destructive natural hazard in mountainous regions. Pore water pressure is the major triggering factor in the initiation of debris flow. Excessive pore water pressure is also observed during the runout and deposition of debris flow. Debris materials are normally treated as solid particle–viscous fluid mixture in the constitutive modeling. A suitable constitutive model which can capture the solid-like and fluid-like behavior of solid–fluid mixture should have the capability to describe the developing of pore water pressure (or effective stresses) in the initiation stage and determine the residual effective stresses exactly. In this paper, a constitutive model of debris materials is developed based on a framework where a static portion for the frictional behavior and a dynamic portion for the viscous behavior are combined. The frictional behavior is described by a hypoplastic model with critical state for granular materials. The model performance is demonstrated by simulating undrained simple shear tests of saturated sand, which are particularly relevant for the initiation of debris flows. The partial and full liquefaction of saturated granular material under undrained condition is reproduced by the hypoplastic model. The viscous behavior is described by the tensor form of a modified Bagnold’s theory for solid–fluid suspension, in which the drag force of the interstitial fluid and the particle collisions are considered. The complete model by combining the static and dynamic parts is used to simulate two annular shear tests. The predicted residual strength in the quasi-static stage combined with the stresses in the flowing stage agrees well with the experimental data. The non-quadratic dependence between the stresses and the shear rate in the slow shear stage for the relatively dense specimens is captured.     

鄂尔多斯盆地西南部延长组6段重力流沉积特征及其油气地质意义

鄂尔多斯盆地南部延长组长6油层组中发现大量块状无层理砂岩,属陡坡带处堆积的三角洲前缘沉积物沿斜坡滑塌形成的重力流沉积。综合岩芯、露头、测井及分析化验资料,认为延长组发育滑塌岩、液化沉积物流、砂质碎屑流和经典浊流等多种类型的重力流,不同类型重力流沉积特征差异明显;其中地形坡度、物源供给和一定的触发机制是形成长6重力流沉积的基本条件;在流动过程中由于水的混入和沉积物卸载,重力流沉积物发生浓度变化和流态转换,形成滑塌岩-砂质碎屑流、砂质碎屑流-浊流、浊流等不同组合类型;重力流砂岩延伸至半深湖-深湖相泥岩中,与长7烃源岩侧向连通,形成有利的成藏组合,是研究区延长组重要的勘探目标区。     

An empirical approach for evaluation of the potential of debris flow occurrence in mountainous areas

Debris flows can occur relatively suddenly and quickly in mountainous areas, resulting in major structural damage and loss of life. The establishment of a model to evaluate the occurrence probability of debris flows in mountainous areas is therefore of great value. The influence factors of debris flows are very complex; they can basically be divided into background factors and triggering factors. Background factors include the mechanical characteristics of geo-materials, topography and landscape, and soil vegetation; and triggering factors include hydrological and rainfall conditions, and human activities. By assessing the dynamic characteristics of debris flows in mountainous areas, some important influence factors are selected here for analysis of their impacts on the occurrence probability of debris flow. A mathematical model for evaluation of the occurrence probability of debris flows is presented and combined with probability analysis. Matlab software is used for the numerical implementation of the forecasting model, and the influences of rainfall, lithology and terrain conditions on the occurrence probability of debris flows are analyzed. Finally, the presented model is applied to forecast the occurrence probability of debris flows in the mountainous area around Qingping Town; the simulation results show that many loose landslide deposits and heavy rainfall are the key factors likely to trigger debris flows in this region.     

沾化凹陷孤岛西部斜坡带沙三段重力流沉积特征与源-汇体系

以岩芯观察、粒度分析、薄片鉴定、测井资料和地震资料解释等为主要手段,研究渤海湾盆地沾化凹陷孤岛西部斜坡带沙三段主要沉积物重力流类型及其沉积特征,探讨不同触发机制下的沉积物重力流演化过程和构造活动对重力流沉积过程及砂体展布的控制,总结源-汇耦合体系,建立斜坡带重力流砂体发育模式。结果表明:研究区沙三段沉积时期发育异重流、碎屑流、浊流、液化流和滑动-滑塌五种沉积物重力流,具有洪水型和滑塌型两种触发机制,流体演变总体处于碎屑流向浊流演化的早期阶段,推测研究区以北深水区仍发育碎屑流沉积且开始广泛发育浊流沉积。构造作用对研究区沙三段流体性质与演化、同生变形构造和重力流成因砂体的发育与分布具有明显的控制作用。总体上,研究区具有断槽沟谷、断裂坡折、断裂走向斜坡及缓坡沟谷等4种主要的源-汇耦合体系。纵向上,研究区沙三段自下而上由（半）深湖、近岸水下扇、滑塌扇沉积演变为滨浅湖、辫状河三角洲以及扇三角洲沉积;平面上,研究区东部主要发育来自孤岛凸起的扇三角洲前缘和近岸水下扇,西部主要发育来自陈家庄凸起的辫状河三角洲前缘,中部主要发育串珠状滑塌扇体。     

Analysis of the triggering conditions and erosion of a runoff-triggered debris flow in Miyun County,Beijing, China

The occurrence of debris flow from channel-bed failure is occasionally noted in small and steeply sloping watersheds where channelized water flow dominates debris flow initiation. On August 12, 2016, a debris flow from channel-bed failures occurred in the Caozhuangzi Watershed of the Longtan Basin, Miyun, Beijing. Rainfall records over 10-min intervals and field investigations including channel morphology measurements were used to study the triggering conditions and erosion process. The results indicated that the occurrence of this event lagged the peak 10-min rainfall interval and that the cumulative rainfall prior to the occurrence time played an important role in its formation. A mean 10-min rainfall intensity–duration expression in the form of I₁₀?=?5.0?×?D^?0.21, where I₁₀ denotes the mean 10-min rainfall intensity and D is the rainfall duration ranging from 10 to 60 h, was proposed. The debris flows have low proportions of grain size fractions <?0.1 mm and higher fractions of grains 0.1–2 mm in size, indicating that the flow had low viscosity and was coarse-grain dominated. Channel morphology analysis revealed that abrupt changes in topography in the study area, including a steep section, a concave stream bank area, and a partial concave stream section were eroded more extensively than other sites. The maximum sediment erosion volume and erosion depth were not proportional to the variation in stream gradient. Consideration of the degree of erosion in the channel at sites with abrupt morphology changes, the maximum sediment erosion volume, and the erosion depth and volume at the initial channel site and downstream region of forest area together showed that the prime factor controlling erosion was entrained sediment volume. This work, thus, provides a case study regarding the triggering conditions of runoff-triggered debris flows and the topographical changes by debris flow erosion.     

A prototype experiment of debris flow control with energy dissipation structures

Large-volume debris flow events are defined when the volume of solid materials exceeds 1 million m³. Traditional engineering measures, such as check dams, diversion channels, and flumes, are effective for normal debris flow control but are not sufficient to control large-volume debris flows. Experiments were conducted with an artificial step-pool system on the new Wenjiagou Gully to mitigate large-volume debris flows. The old Wenjiagou Gully was buried by 81.6 million m³ of loose solid material created by a landslide that was triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. The new gully was formed during the scouring process caused by debris flows in 2008. Large-volume debris flows were initiated by rainstorm flood with high kinetic energy. The artificial step-pool system was constructed with huge and big boulders on the new Wenjiagou Gully in 2009. The step-pool system dissipated flow energy in steps and hydraulic jumps. Analysis proved that the step-pool system dissipated two-third of the kinetic energy of flow; thus, the critical discharge for triggering debris flow increased threefold. Due to the step-pool system maximized the flow resistance and protected the bed sediment and banks from erosion, the rainstorm floods in 2009 did not trigger debris flows. In 2010, the step-pool system was replaced with 20 check dams. Huge boulders were broken into small pieces of diameter less than 0.5 m and were used as building materials for the 20 dams. Without the protection of the step-pool system, a rainstorm flood scoured the base of the dams and caused failures for all of the 20 check dams in August 2010. The flow incised the gully bed by 50 m. The loose bank materials slid into the flow mixed with water and formed a large-volume debris flow with a volume of 4.5 million m³. Many houses were buried by the debris flow, and 12 people were killed. Comparison of the two strategies proved that energy dissipation structures are necessary for controlling large-volume debris flows. Check dams, if they are stable, may reduce the potential of bank failures and control debris flows. The step-pool system dissipates flow energy and control gully bed incision and bank failure. A combination of check dams and step-pool systems may be the most effective for mitigating debris flows.     

冰碛土体起动泥石流的特征研究

与广泛分布于干旱河谷的宽级配砾石土体特征不同,冰碛土广泛分布在青藏高原地区,属粗大颗粒多、粘粒含量少、摩擦阻力大、粘滞阻力小的宽级配砾石土体。在冰川融雪与降雨的共同作用下冰碛土体可失稳并起动泥石流,形成灾害。针对冰碛土体起动泥石流机理研究薄弱的现状,本文选取波密县帕隆藏布流域的支流嘎弄沟一冰碛土堆积坡面,通过模拟降水与冰雪融水起动冰川泥石流实验,比较不同颗粒组成、不同实验条件下的土体起动泥石流特征,分析其起动成因及力学特性,探讨冰碛土体起动泥石流的机理。研究发现冰碛土体失稳起动泥石流是粘滞阻力降低、孔隙水压力升高、拖曳力与渗流侵蚀共同作用的结果,起动过程受粘土颗粒含量和径流类型的影响。当粘粒含量较高时(>3%),土体通过铲蚀与面蚀形成泥石流;粘粒含量中低时(不高于3%),大部分坡面土体主要经掏蚀与坍塌起动泥石流;粘粒含量过低时(<0.32%),土体难以起动泥石流。在降水作用下土体孔隙水压力迅速增加,易造成土体破坏,起动泥石流;而在冰雪融水的作用下,土体孔隙水压力波动幅度不大时,土体同样可能发生失稳破坏起动泥石流。     

西南某水电站泥石流形成条件及运动特征研究

西南某水电站库区五里沟、咱里沟、浑水沟等多条泥石流冲沟发育,历史上曾经发生过大规模的泥石流。沟内第四纪松散堆积物及人工堆积物丰富,在暴雨,地震等自然因素的触发下,时有较大规模的泥石流发生的可能,将对该水电站运行安全带来不利影响。根据国内外有关研究成果,结合区内泥石流的具体特征,重点以五里沟为主,分析研究了五里沟泥石流的形成条件及其运动特征,包括泥石流的流速、流量、冲击力。这一研究为评价库区泥石流对水电站的建设和安全运行的影响具有现实意义。     

Changing debris flow activity after sudden sediment input: a case study from the Swiss Alps

On 27 December 2011, a rock avalanche in the upper Val Bondasca in the southern Swiss Alps deposited 1.5–1.7 million m³ of rock debris. The following summer, debris flow activity in Val Bondasca was unusually high with four events after a 90‐year period of debris flow inactivity. This was an exceptional situation for the valley. Analysing the 2012 events, the long‐term record of meteorological conditions such as rainfall intensity and duration, in comparison with debris flow activity, suggests that the meteorological conditions in summer 2012 would not have triggered the high intensity debris flow events without additional sediment input. Consequently, the suddenly increased debris availability can be considered a major factor in these events. Interestingly, rainfall events of similar magnitude in the subsequent years 2013–2015 did not trigger additional debris flow events, indicating that debris flow initiation thresholds are increasing again, back towards pre‐rock avalanche levels. This study aims to help in understanding the so far poorly understood temporal evolution of debris flow triggering thresholds and the effect of sudden changes in sediment availability.     

Rainfall-triggering response patterns of post-seismic debris flows in the Wenchuan earthquake area

Several giant debris flows occurred in southwestern China after the Wenchuan earthquake, causing serious casualties and economic losses. Debris flows were frequently triggered after the earthquake. A relatively accurate prediction of these post-seismic debris flows can help to reduce the consequent damages. Existing debris flow prediction is almost based on the study of the relationship between post-earthquake debris flows and rainfall. The relationship between the occurrence of post-seismic debris flows and characteristic rainfall patterns was studied in this paper. Fourteen rainfall events related to debris flows that occurred in four watersheds in the Wenchuan earthquake area were collected. By analyzing the rainfall data, characteristics of rainfall events that triggered debris flows after the earthquake were obtained. Both the critical maximum rainfall intensity and average rainfall intensity increased with the time. To describe the critical conditions for debris flow initiation, intensity–duration curves were constructed, which shows how the threshold for triggering debris flows increased each year. The time that the critical rainfall intensities of debris flow occurrences return to the value prior to the earthquake could not be estimated due to the absent rainfall data before the earthquake. Rainfall-triggering response patterns could be distinguished for rainfall-induced debris flows. The critical rainfall patterns related to debris flows could be divided on the basis of antecedent rainfall duration and intensity into three categories: (1) a rapid triggering response pattern, (2) an intermediate triggering response pattern, and (3) a slow triggering response pattern. The triggering response patterns are closely related to the initiation mechanisms of post-earthquake debris flows. The main difference in initiation mechanisms and difference in triggering patterns by rainfall is regulated by the infiltration process and determined by a number of parameters, such as hydro-mechanical soil characteristics, the thickness of the soil, and the slope gradient. In case of a rapid triggering response rainfall pattern, the hydraulic conductivity and initial moisture content are the main impact factors. Runoff erosion and rapid loading of solid material is the dominant process. In case of a rainfall pattern with a slow triggering response, the thickness and strength of the soil, high hydraulic conductivity, and rainfall intensity are the impact factors. Probably slope failure is the most dominant process initiating debris flows. In case of an intermediate triggering response pattern, both debris flow initiation mechanisms (runoff erosion and slope failure) can play a role.     

汶川震区暴雨泥石流激发雨量特征

利用搜集的汶川震区典型泥石流暴发前后的降雨过程资料,分析了泥石流的激发雨量过程,获得了汶川震区的泥石流激发雨量特征,以期为泥石流的预测预报提供依据。结果表明,汶川地震区的泥石流激发雨型可分为快速激发型、中速激发型和慢速激发型3类,其差异主要体现在降雨的持续时间和强度方面。不同激发雨型下的泥石流形成过程的差别主要体现在松散土体饱和过程。雨型的差异(降雨的持续时间和强度)使得土体饱和产生超渗产流的时间出现差异,进而使得泥石流暴发的时间存在差异。激发雨强跟激发雨型存在一定的关系,激发雨强最大者为中速激发雨型,其次是慢速激发雨型,最小者为快速激发雨型。与地震之前相比,地震后的泥石流暴发时的累积雨量和临界雨量都有所降低。     

沟床起动型泥石流的10 min降雨预报模型

针对沟床起动型泥石流的诱发因素为高强度短历时的降雨,提出10 min降雨强度是这类泥石流暴发的关键。在1 h预报模型的基础上,基于云南蒋家沟的多年泥石流观测资料,修正了1 h预报模型的降雨参数,并得到了10 min降雨预报模型。10 min降雨预报模型在中国西部的其他流域,如云南浑水沟、贵州望谟县打易区域泥石流沟、四川三滩沟、四川雅安陆王沟和干溪沟、甘肃柳湾沟、甘肃马槽沟等流域的验证中,取得了较好的结果。10 min降雨预报模型是部分建立在泥石流的形成机理上的模型,并不是完全的统计模型,因此该模型也可以用于其他地区的沟床起动类型泥石流预报。     

Characteristics of debris flows from the lower part of the Lotru River basin (South Carpathians,Romania)

This paper focuses on characteristics of debris flows from the lower part of the Lotru River basin (South Carpathians, Romania). The damage produced by these debris flows has included burial of agricultural land, roads covered by debris flows, and even the obstruction of the Lotru River. Simple statistical analysis has been used to emphasize the characteristics of the debris flow sites. The collected data show that heavy rainfall is the main triggering mechanism of debris flow events in the Lotru hydrographic basin. The daily rainfall data for this region show that important debris flow events generally occur when rainfall exceeds 40 mm in 24 h, while rainfall levels between 25 and 40 mm in 24 h result in hyperconcentrated flows. For 11 of 14 studied debris flow sites, the fan area is greater than the source area, probably due to the thickness of the regolith, which is up to 5–10 m deep. Both source area and deposition area are very dynamic. The retreat rate calculated for five debris flow sites ranges from 5 to 30 m in 30 years (from 1975 to 2005). Channel cross section measurements on one of the debris flows show that velocity values vary from 1.31 to 2.64 m/s; corresponding discharge values vary from 4 to 10.03 m³/s.     

The physical character of subaqueous sedimentary density flows and their deposits

The complexity of flow and wide variety of depositional processes operating in subaqueous density flows, combined with post‐depositional consolidation and soft‐sediment deformation, often make it difficult to interpret the characteristics of the original flow from the sedimentary record. This has led to considerable confusion of nomenclature in the literature. This paper attempts to clarify this situation by presenting a simple classification of sedimentary density flows, based on physical flow properties and grain‐support mechanisms, and briefly discusses the likely characteristics of the deposited sediments. Cohesive flows are commonly referred to as debris flows and mud flows and defined on the basis of sediment characteristics. The boundary between cohesive and non‐cohesive density flows (frictional flows) is poorly constrained, but dimensionless numbers may be of use to define flow thresholds. Frictional flows include a continuous series from sediment slides to turbidity currents. Subdivision of these flows is made on the basis of the dominant particle‐support mechanisms, which include matrix strength (in cohesive flows), buoyancy, pore pressure, grain‐to‐grain interaction (causing dispersive pressure), Reynolds stresses (turbulence) and bed support (particles moved on the stationary bed). The dominant particle‐support mechanism depends upon flow conditions, particle concentration, grain‐size distribution and particle type. In hyperconcentrated density flows, very high sediment concentrations (>25 volume%) make particle interactions of major importance. The difference between hyperconcentrated density flows and cohesive flows is that the former are friction dominated. With decreasing sediment concentration, vertical particle sorting can result from differential settling, and flows in which this can occur are termed concentrated density flows. The boundary between hyperconcentrated and concentrated density flows is defined by a change in particle behaviour, such that denser or larger grains are no longer fully supported by grain interaction, thus allowing coarse‐grain tail (or dense‐grain tail) normal grading. The concentration at which this change occurs depends on particle size, sorting, composition and relative density, so that a single threshold concentration cannot be defined. Concentrated density flows may be highly erosive and subsequently deposit complete or incomplete Lowe and Bouma sequences. Conversely, hydroplaning at the base of debris flows, and possibly also in some hyperconcentrated flows, may reduce the fluid drag, thus allowing high flow velocities while preventing large‐scale erosion. Flows with concentrations <9% by volume are true turbidity flows (sensu 4 ), in which fluid turbulence is the main particle‐support mechanism. Turbidity flows and concentrated density flows can be subdivided on the basis of flow duration into instantaneous surges, longer duration surge‐like flows and quasi‐steady currents. Flow duration is shown to control the nature of the resulting deposits. Surge‐like turbidity currents tend to produce classical Bouma sequences, whose nature at any one site depends on factors such as flow size, sediment type and proximity to source. In contrast, quasi‐steady turbidity currents, generated by hyperpycnal river effluent, can deposit coarsening‐up units capped by fining‐up units (because of waxing and waning conditions respectively) and may also include thick units of uniform character (resulting from prolonged periods of near‐steady conditions). Any flow type may progressively change character along the transport path, with transformation primarily resulting from reductions in sediment concentration through progressive entrainment of surrounding fluid and/or sediment deposition. The rate of fluid entrainment, and consequently flow transformation, is dependent on factors including slope gradient, lateral confinement, bed roughness, flow thickness and water depth. Flows with high and low sediment concentrations may co‐exist in one transport event because of downflow transformations, flow stratification or shear layer development of the mixing interface with the overlying water (mixing cloud formation). Deposits of an individual flow event at one site may therefore form from a succession of different flow types, and this introduces considerable complexity into classifying the flow event or component flow types from the deposits.