The mobilization of surface material by particle-laden flows involves phenomenology that cross multiple scales: particle-scale interactions and mesoscopic stresses have significant implications for landscape evolution and associated hazard mitigation issues. Here, we consider the problem of erosion of bed materials by debris flows – flows of boulders, gravel, sand, fine particles, and fluids – as they entrain soils and rocks from steep hillsides. In this paper we report results from laboratory experiments investigating the effect of changing coarse particle concentration in a dry “debris flow” on the erosion of a bed over which it flows. We find that increasing the fraction of coarse particles in the bed often increases the bed erosion. However, for some systems, the details are noisier and harder to discern. We associate the variable erosion and noisiness in part with the competing dynamics of small scale interactions, such as the coarse grain impacts, and larger scale details, such as those related to angles of repose. We also present preliminary results measuring instantaneous erosion rates and demonstrate that size dependence of the erosion rates can vary considerably from that of the net erosion. We conclude by summarizing some limitations of our experiments and ongoing next steps to address these limitations.

Debris-flow experiments and models commonly use “hot-start” initial conditions in which downslope motion begins when a large force imbalance is abruptly imposed. By contrast, initiation of natural debris flows almost invariably results from small perturbations of static force balances that apply to debris masses poised in steep channels or on steep slopes. Models that neglect these static balances may violate physical law. Here we assess how the effects of hot starts are manifested in physical experiments, analytical dam-break models, and numerical models in which frictional resistance is too small to satisfy static force balances in debris-flow source areas. We then outline a numerical modeling framework that avoids use of hot starts. In this framework an initial static force balance is gradually perturbed by increasing pore-fluid pressure that may trigger the onset of debris motion. Subsequent increases in pore-fluid pressure, driven by debris motion, may then reduce the debris frictional strength, leading to high flow mobility.

Submarine debris flow can damage oil and gas transport pipelines with potentially adverse consequences to the environment and to the industrial activity itself. The deposition process of submarine debris flow, which is related to the flow viscosity, is complex due to the slurry diffusion process that happens during the interaction of water and slurry. In addition, a quantitative characterization of the characterize the flow mechanism as influenced by the material density during the deposition process remains a scientific challenge. To fundamentally understand the mechanisms of solid-fluid interactions in fast-flowing submarine debris flows, a series of three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) were conducted. The Herschel- Bulkley (HB) model was used to define the submarine slurry’s rheological characterization as calibrate through simple rheological experiment. Results reveal that deposition is a mass diffusion process. Shear stress at the bottom and at the top of the slurry leads to velocity differences in the vertical direction which in turn generates a huge vortex, which contributed to a separation of slurry into two parts: the frontal head, and the tail. The velocity difference in vertical direction is helpful for hydroplaning. For higher slurry viscosity case, the flow profile is longer and thicker with a front head that has a lower averaged densities and sharper head angles. In addition, highly viscous slurries have lower average frontal velocities during the deposition process. The mixture density decreases in two stages: quick decreasing stage and stable decreasing stage. In the first stage, the slurry expands quicker than the second stage. Higher viscosities also lead to larger volume expansions which consequently leads to quicker density decrease.

Debris flow and flow failure are terms used to describe large displacement slope failures. The initiation or triggering often differs due to the nature and state of the material, but once triggered these two failure mechanisms both tend to behave like a Bingham plastic exhibiting a yield strength and a strain-rate dependent strength. In this paper the rheology of these failures is examined and compared to field data and lab data to find commonalities. A future goal is to move towards a common definition of the physics and a joint empirical database for improved statistics and predictive models. The authors own field investigations in Chile and lab investigations using shake table experiments will be reviewed along with studies by other researchers.

Solid materials distributed on the surface of watershed transform to debris flow under seepage flow effect is one of the most common disaster type in the mountainous area, especially in the Longmen Fault regions, China. The high frequency of debris- flow event takes a big menace to local people’s safety of life and properties directly, as well as the reconstruction work. Currently, more theory and experiment researches are concentrated on solid materials instability mechanism, debris-flow initiation, movement process of slope-gully system, but fewer research are focused on the moveable critical condition of solid materials under hydrodynamic condition as seepage flow and surface flow. Thus, based on the mechanical balance, through define the theory of the movable solid materials firstly. Then, take a comparison with traditional terms as loosen solid materials, dynamic reserves and efficient solid materials, it found that solid materials move or not is a mechanical problem rather than traditional definition. Thirdly, on the condition of saturated seepage flow, according to setting up geological model and taking mechanical analysis, it gained dynamical formula and resistance formula respectively, then, give confined parameters, it found a liner distribution of dynamical value and resistance value versus depth when the geology model is homogeneous and the seepage flow saturated in whole layer.

The Chalk Cliffs debris-flow site is a small headwater catchment incised into highly fractured and hydrothermally altered quartz monzonite in a semiarid climate. Over half of the extremely steep basin is exposed bedrock. Debris flows occur multiple times per year in response to rainstorm events, typically during the summer monsoon season. The frequency of debris flows, and the uniformity of the underlying rock, make Chalk Cliffs an ideal study catchment for translating mechanistic understanding of natural debris flows to other sites. A 2008 National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) airborne lidar survey provides baseline topography for the site; however, heretofore there has been no systematic effort to collect repeat topography of the entire site. Starting in May 2018, we made repeat surveys of the basin with an unmanned aircraft system (UAS). The UAS-based imagery was processed into (x, y, z) point clouds using Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. We georegistered the point clouds using 12 ground control points placed within and around the study basin. In this study we compare the lidar with one SfM point cloud to assess topographic change over a 10-year time period. The difference map provides observational data relevant to understanding sediment provenance and transport at the Chalk Cliffs. The difference image indicates erosion of colluvial surfaces, with limited deposition in the survey area. Some colluvial hillslopes show spatially uniform erosion while others experienced concentrated erosion of up to 3 m depth over a 10-year period.

In mountainous catchments, the quantification of sediment yield is of paramount relevance for land-use planning and design of sediment control structures. However, deciphering the contribution of the different sediment transport processes (debris flows, debris floods and bedload transport) is often challenging as they are strongly controlled by basin morphometry, hydrological regime, and sediment supply. Therefore, long-term instrumental monitoring through catchment-scale sensor networks can provide precious information, especially if coupled with high-resolution topographical surveys. The Gadria catchment, located in the eastern Italian Alps, offers the possibility to perform a systematic monitoring of sediment transport processes. This catchment typically features several low-magnitude flood episodes and a few debris-flow events per year, from late spring to early fall. Starting from 2011, various instruments mainly devoted to debris-flow detection (geophones, video cameras, flow stage sensors) have been installed along the main channel, just upstream of a retention basin. High-resolution topographical surveys of the retention basin are carried out each year, at the beginning and at the end of the summer season and after debris-flow events. Rainfall is measured in the intermediate part of the catchment and in the headwaters, while PIT-tracing of bedload was performed in the main channel. In this work, we present the reconstruction of the sediment dynamics at the catchment scale during the 2014 and 2015 monitoring seasons. Instrumental monitoring was used to estimate the contribution of the different flow processes, and data from topographical surveys to quantify the transported volumes. Results show that (i) coarse sediment yield is driven by sporadic debris flows while flood events allow the continuous fine-sediment migration along the channel network; (ii) volume estimations may be significantly different – up to 30% lower - if performed through a DEM of Difference (DoD) analysis of the retention basin or by analysing monitoring data; (iii) a multi-parametric monitoring is needed to decipher sediment dynamics at catchment scale.

Debris flows have become a common disaster in Taiwan in recent years since the impacts of extreme weathers has been aggravated. To protect people from the debris-flow disasters, a monitoring and warning system was developed by Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (SWCB) in Taiwan. The rainfall-based criteria are used in Taiwan for debris flow warning. Different to rainfall measurement, the ground surface vibrational signal from a debris flow has been studied more widely in recent years. Sensors of geophone (short period seismograph) and broadband seismograph are commonly used for debris flow monitoring. In this paper, the signal analysis of debris flows was performed by calculating the vibrational energy. The comparison of the analysis results indicated that when the energy ratios of at least two of the axes are greater than 1.12, a debris flow is highly likely to occur. The starting point in the increasing trend of vibrational energy implied the possible warning time point for debris flow. Vibration examples of debris flow and earthquakes were also compared in this paper.

The instrumental monitoring of torrential catchments is a fundamental research task and provides necessary information to improve our understanding on the mechanisms of debris flows. While most monitoring sites include meteorological sensors and analyze the critical rainfall conditions, only very few contain soil moisture measurements. In our monitoring site, the Rebaixader catchment, 11 debris flows and 24 debris floods were detected during the last nine years. Herein, the initiation mechanisms of these torrential flows were analyzed focusing on the critical rainfall conditions and the soil water dynamics. Comparing the temporal distribution of both rainfall episodes and torrential flows, the Kernel density plots showed maximum values for rainfalls at the beginning of June, while the peak for torrential flows is at July 20th. This means that highest probability of debris flows and debris floods triggering is about 1.5 months later than the one of rainstorms in the catchment. Thus, the antecedent rainfall and especially the soil moisture conditions may influence the triggering of torrential flows. In a second step, a new updated rainfall threshold was proposed including total rainfall duration and mean intensity. The analysis of soil moisture data was more complicated and no clear trends were observed in the dataset. Therefore, additional data has to be recorded in order to quantitatively analyze the role of soil moisture on the triggering of flows and for the definition of thresholds. Some preliminary results show that the soil moisture at the beginning of a rainfall event affects the maximum increase of soil moisture, while a slight trend was visible comparing the initial soil moisture with the necessary rainfall amount to trigger a torrential flow.

The Rieu Benoît is a debris-flow-prone catchment located in Valloire (Savoie, France). In 2011, a lateral landslide was detected about 600 m upstream of the fan apex where houses are present. This landslide has evolved slowly since 2011 but is likely, in case of rapid collapse, to provide up to 150,000 to 200,000 m3 of material to the channel and generate intense debris flows thus threatening human settlements on the fan and in the Valloire ski resort. This paper presents a contribution to the definition of a protection strategy based on the principle that a catastrophic evolution of the landslide can be detected sufficiently in advance to set up an effective alert procedure. Such early warning system can be designed provided (i) the landslide is instrumented to properly detect its evolution and characterize the volumes likely to mobilize into debris flows, this is carried out using photogrammetric, seismic, and electrical techniques; (ii) the interaction between the landslide and the channel is observed and sufficiently understood, this is carried out using a time-lapse camera taking a picture every two hours and at higher frequency once a flow is detected by a geophone; (iii) subsequent debris flows are observed and characterized in terms of flow thickness and velocity, this is carried out at a monitoring station located at the fan apex and equipped with a radar flow stage sensor and three geophones; (iv) consequences on urbanized areas are evaluated a priori on the basis of scenarios, this is carried out by simulating the spreading of debris flows for different volumes and material properties. The final step consists in building alert and evacuation procedures in collaboration with local authorities.