Debris flow impact on flexible barrier: effects of debrisbarrier stiffness and flow aspect ratio

Conventionally, flexible barriers are rated based on their ability to resist a free-falling boulder with a particular input energy. However, there is still no well-accepted approach for evaluating performance of flexible barrier under debris flow impact. In this study, a large-nonlinear finite-element model was used to back-analyze centrifuge tests to discern the effects of impact material type, barrier stiffness, and flow aspect ratio(flow height to flow length) on the reaction force between the impacting medium and flexible barrier. Results show that, in contrast to flexible barriers for resisting rockfall, the normal impact force induced by the highly frictional and viscous debris is insensitive to barrier stiffness. This is because the elongated distributions of kinetic energy are mainly dissipated by the internal and boundary shearing, and only a small portion is forwarded to the barrier. Furthermore, a new stiffness number is proposed to characterize the equivalent stiffness between a debris flow or a boulder, and a flexible barrier. Under the circumstance of an extremely elongated debris flow event, i.e., low aspect ratio, the load on a barrier is dominated by the static component and thus not sensitive to the barrier stiffness.     

Impact failure models and application condition of trees in debris-flow hazard mitigation

Forestry has played an important role in hazard mitigation associated with debris flows. Most forest mitigation measures refer to the experience of soil and water conservation, which disregard the destructive effect of debris flows, causing potentially serious consequences. Determination of the effect of a forest on reducing debris-flow velocity and even stopping debris flows requires distinguishing between when the debris flow will destroy the forest and when the trees will withstand the debris-flow impact force. In this paper, we summarized two impact failure models of a single tree: stem breakage and overturning. The influences of different tree sizes characteristics(stem base diameter, tree weight, and root failure radius) and debris-flow characteristics(density, velocity, flow depth, and boulder diameter) on tree failure were analyzed. The observations obtained from the model adopted in this study show that trees are more prone to stem breakage than overturning. With an increase in tree size, the ability to resist stem breakage and overturning increases. Debris-flow density influences the critical failure conditions of trees substantially less than the debrisflow velocity, depth, and boulder diameter. The application conditions of forests in debris-flow hazard mitigation were proposed based on the analysis of the model results. The proposed models were applied in the Xiajijiehaizi Gully as a case study, and the results explain the destruction of trees in the forest dispersing zone. This work provides references for implementing forest measures for debris-flow hazard mitigation.     

A debris-flow impact pressure model combining material characteristics and flow dynamic parameters

Impact force is a crucial factor to be considered in debris-resisting structure design. The impact of debris flow against a structural barrier depends not only on the flow dynamics but also on the barrier material. Based on the structural vibration equation and energy conservation law, a simple model for calculating debris-flow impact pressure is proposed, which includes the mechanical impedance of the material, debris-flow velocity and Froude number. Twenty-five impact tests have been conducted using different kinds of materials: steel, black granite, white granite, marble and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) board, and the ratio of the maximum impact time to the vibration period of the structure is determined for the model. It is found that the ratio’s square root shows a linear relationship with the material solid Froude number. This indicates that the impedance of the structures plays an important role in the flow-barrier interaction. Moreover, the debrisflow impact force is found to decrease with the travel time of the elastic stress wave though the structures.     

一种新型光纤光栅锈蚀传感器及其对混凝土结构钢筋锈蚀监测实验研究

设计一种新型光纤光栅锈蚀传感器,主要由锈蚀体、不锈钢体和2段串联的光纤布拉格光栅（FBG）组成。缠绕于锈蚀体表面的FBG监测钢筋的锈胀应变,缠绕于不锈钢体表面的FBG用作温度补偿器,消除温度变化对锈胀应变监测的影响。此外,设计电化学加速腐蚀实验,探究该传感器在不同强度等级混凝土中的工作性能。结果表明,该传感器监测质量腐蚀率的灵敏度为0.02%,监测范围大于1%,可实时监测混凝土中钢筋的锈蚀过程及特征,为预警钢筋锈蚀引起的钢筋混凝土结构耐久性损失提供阈值,在结构健康监测领域具有较大的应用价值。     

Measuring the internal velocity of debris flows using impact pressure detecting in the flume experiment

Measuring the internal velocity of debris flows is very important for debris flow dynamics research and designing debris flow control works. However, there is no appropriate method for measuring the internal velocity because of the destructive power of debris flow process. In this paper, we address this problem by using the relationship between velocity and kinetic pressure, as described by surface velocity and surface kinetic pressure data. Kinetic pressure is the difference of impact pressure and static pressure. The former is detected by force sensors installed in the flow direction at the sampling section. Observations show that static pressure can be computed using the formula for static water pressure by simply substituting water density for debris flow density. We describe the relationship between surface velocity and surface kinetic pressure using data from seven laboratory flume experiments. It is consistent with the relationship for single phase flow, which is the measurement principle of the Pitot tube.     

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.     

Spatial-temporal distribution of debris flow impact pressure on rigid barrier

Grain composition plays a vital role in impact pressure of debris flow. Current approaches treat debris flow as uniform fluid and almost ignore its granular effects. A series of flume experiments have been carried out to explore the granular influence on the impact process of debris flow by using a contact surface pressure gauge sensor(Tactilus~?, produced by Sensor Products LLC). It is found that the maximum impact pressure for debris flow of low density fluctuates drastically with a long duration time while the fluctuation for flow of high density is short in time, respectively presenting logarithmic and linear form in longitudinal attenuation. This can be ascribed to the turbulence effect in the former and grain collisions and grainfluid interaction in the latter. The horizontal distribution of the impact pressure can be considered as the equivalent distribution. For engineering purposes, the longitudinal distribution of the pressure can be generalized to a triangular distribution, from which a new impact method considering granular effects is proposed.     

Effects of a flexible net barrier on the dynamic behaviours and interception of debris flows in mountainous areas

Flexible net barriers are a new type of effective mitigation measure against debris flows in valleys and can affect the kinematic energy and mass of debris flows. Here, ten flume tests were performed to study the dynamic behaviours of debris flows with differences in volumes, concentrations (solid volume fraction), and travel distances after interception by a uniform flexible net barrier. A high-speed camera was used to monitor the whole test process, and their dynamic behaviours were recorded. A preliminary computational framework on energy conversion is proposed according to the deposition mechanisms and outflow of debris flow under the effects of the flexible net barrier. The experimental results show that the dynamic interaction process between a debris flow and the flexible net barrier can be divided into two stages: (a) the two-phase impact of the leading edge of the debris flow with the net and (b) collision and friction between the body of the debris flow and intercepted debris material. The approach velocity of a debris flow decreases sharply (a maximum of 63%) after the interception by the net barrier, and the mass ratio of the debris material being intercepted and the kinetic energy ratio of the debris material being absorbed by the net barrier are close due to the limited interception efficiency of the flexible net barrier, which is believed to be related to the flexibility. The energy ratio of outflow is relative small despite the large permeability of the flexible net barrier.     

Comparative study on debris flow initiation in limestone and sandstone spoil

Large spoil tips from reconstruction works as a result of the Wenchuan Earthquake in China are new debris flow hazards to the human society. However, there is a lack of detailed comparative study on debris flow initiation in different spoil materials. This paper describes a series of tests and analyses on debris flow characteristics (initiation, scale and mechanism) at six sites with limestone and sandstone materials near the Dujiangyan area. Research shows the limestone spoil contains debris flow prone clay content with high concentration of montmorillonite (highly expandable). In addition, limestone spoil is of such a low permeability that water mainly concentrates in the upper surface layer. Those factors make it easy for the increase of pore water pressure, decline of internal friction and conhesion force, leading to the occurence of large debris flows. In contrast, the sandstone spoil is less problematic and causes no major debris flow threats. Based on our research on the mechanism, the“stereometric drainage”method is sucessfully applied to control limestone spoil debris flows.     

固体潮整体综合分析方法研究

阐述了固体潮综合分析的理论基础，给出了反演勒甫数的计算方法，讨论了由固体潮综合分析所提供的新信息及其地球物理意义。指出：由多方向应变观测组合，可获得应变张量；地倾斜具有剪应变的性质     

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.     

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.     

Discrete element modeling of debris avalanche impact on retaining walls

In China,gravity retaining walls are widely used as protection structures against rockfalls,debris flows and debris avalanches along the roads in mountainous areas.In this paper,the Discrete Element Method(DEM) has been used to investigate the impact of granular avalanches and debris flows on retaining walls.The debris is modeled as two dimensional circular disks that interact through frictional sliding contacts.The basic equations that control the deformation and motion of the particles are introduced.A series of numerical experiments were conducted on an idealized debris slide impacting a retaining wall.The parametric study has been performed to examine the influences of slope geometry,travel distance of the sliding mass,wall position,and surface friction on the impact force exerted on the wall.Results show that:1) the force achieves its maximum value when slope angle is equal to 60°,as it varies from 30° to 75°;2) an approximate linear relationship between the impact force and the storage area length is determined.     

Model test of the stability degradation of a prestressed anchored rock slope system in a corrosive environment

The long-term stability of a prestressed anchored slope might be influenced by the durability of the anchorage structure. To understand long-term stability of anchored rock slopes, the research presented herein evaluated the performance evolution of a prestressed anchored bedding slope system in a corrosive environment by model test. The corrosion process in a prestressed anchor bar was monitored in terms of its open-circuit potential(OCP), corrosion current density(CCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS). The stability of the prestressed anchored slope was evaluated by monitoring changes in anchorage force and displacements. The experimental results show that prestress and oxygen could reduce the corrosion resistance of the anchor bar, and anchor bars in a chloride-rich environment are very susceptible to corrosion. Prestressed tendons in a corrosive environment suffer a loss of anchorage force, the prestress decreases rapidly after locking, and the rate thereof decreases until stabilising; in the later stage, corrosion leads to the reduction of the cross-sectional area of the steel bar which may cause the reduction in anchorage force again. Anchorage force controls the deformation and stability of the anchored slope, the prestress loss caused by later corrosion may lead to an increased rate of displacement and stability degradation of the prestressed anchored rock slope.     

Origin of the Mushroom Stone Forest at the southeastern foot of the Little Sangpu Mountain in eastern Guangdong,China: A palaeo-sea-level indicator or not?

The Mushroom Stone Forest, which consists of granite boulders looking like mushrooms with flared sidewalls, is located in eastern Guangdong China, and is a famous scenic spot that draws many tourists each year. The Mushroom Stone Forest has been traditionally recognized as a collection of wave erosion landforms and used for the reconstruction of palaeo-sea-level changes along the coastal areas of eastern Guangdong in previous coastal researches. By combining in situ measurements of the aspect,vertical profile and height of boulder sidewalls,palaeo-coastal wave direction estimation, rock density determination, major elemental analysis, and petrographic thin section analysis, this paper presents an alternative origin for the Mushroom Stone Forest.Our results suggest that wave or wind erosion cannot offer a satisfactory explanation for the formation of the Mushroom Stone Forest; The boulders that make up the Mushroom Stone Forest originated from the corestones in the granite weathering crusts of the Little Sangpu Mountain; When the debris of the weathering crust was removed, the corestones are perched on rocky outcrops or half-buried by weathering debris beneath the natural land surface;The flared sidewall (concave vertical profile) of the boulders is a particular form developed in the foot zone of a half-buried boulder through increased chemical weathering beneath the land surface. A recent exposed half-buried boulder found in the study area provides convincing evidence to support this argument. Sea water reached the foot of the Sangpu Mountain during the Holocene transgression, but it merely provided a mechanism to erode the weathering debris from the bottom of the mushroom rocks and enhanced salt weathering that created tafoni on the boulders. These findings demonstrate that the boulders of the Mushroom Stone Forest are not sea stacks and cannot be served as a palaeo-sea-level indicator.     

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.     

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°.     

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).     

Influence of Collective Boulder Array on the Surrounding Time-averaged and Turbulent Flow Fields

Arrays of large immobile boulders,which are often encountered in steep mountain streams,affect the timing and magnitude of sediment transport events through their interactions with the approach flow.Despite their importance in the quantification of the bedload rate,the collective influence of a boulder array on the approach timeaveraged and turbulent flow field has to date been overlooked.The overarching objective is,thus,to assess the collective effects of a boulder array on the time-averaged and turbulent flow fields surrounding an individual boulder within the array,placing particular emphasis on highlighting the bed shear stress spatial variability.The objective of this study is pursued by resolving and comparing the timeaveraged and turbulent flow fields developing around a boulder,with and without an array of isolated boulders being present.The results show that the effects of an individual boulder on the time-averaged streamwise velocity and turbulence intensity were limited to the boulder’s immediate vicinity in the streamwise（x/d c 〈 2-3） and vertical（z/d c 〈 1） directions.Outside of the boulder’s immediate vicinity,the time-averaged streamwise velocity was found to be globally decelerated.This global deceleration was attributed to the form drag generated collectively by the boulder array.More importantly,the boulder array reduced the applied shear stress exerted on theindividual boulders found within the array,by absorbing a portion of the total applied shear.Furthermore,the array was found to have a ＂homogenizing＂ effect on the near-bed turbulence thus significantly reducing the turbulence intensity in the near-bed region.The findings of this study suggest that the collective boulder array bears a portion of the total applied bed shear stress as form drag,hence reducing the available bed shear stress for transporting incoming mobile sediment.Thus,the effects of the boulder array should not be ignored in sediment transport predictions.These effects are encapsulated in this study by E     

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.