Review of the mechanisms of debris-flow impact against barriers

S Poudyal (1) , C. Choi (1) , D Song (2) , G G D Zhou (3) , C y Yune (4) , Y. Cui (1) , A. Leonardi (5) , M Busslinger (6) , C Wendeler (7) , Guillaume Piton (8) , E Moase (9) , Alex Strouth (9)

1 HKUST - Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
2 CAS - Chinese Academy of Sciences [Beijing]
3 IMDE - Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment
4 Gangneung-Wonju National University
5 Politechnico di Torino
6 Tetra Tech Canada Inc, Vancouver Geotechnical Engineering, Vancouver
7 GEOBRUGG AG ROMANSHORN CHE
8 UR ETGR (ETNA) - Erosion torrentielle neige et avalanches
9 BGC Engineering

Our limited understanding of the mechanisms pertaining to the force exerted by debris flows on barriers makes it difficult to ascertain whether a design is inadequate, adequate, or over-designed. The main scientific challenge is because flow-type landslides impacting a rigid barrier is rarely captured in the field, and no systematic, physical experimental data is available to reveal the impact mechanisms. An important consideration in flow-structure interaction is that the impact dynamics can differ radically depending on the composition of the flow. Currently, no framework exists that can characterize the impact behavior for a wide range of flow compositions. This review paper examines recent works on debris-flow structure interactions and the limitations of commonly used approaches to estimate the impact load for the design of barriers. Key challenges faced in this area and outlook for further research are discussed.

Mots clés: Debris flows; barriers; impact mechanisms; flow compositions

Domaines: Risques; Construction hydraulique; Ingénierie de l'environnement

S Poudyal, C. Choi, D Song, G G D Zhou, C y Yune, et al.. Review of the mechanisms of debris-flow impact against barriers. International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Prediction, and Assessment, Jun 2019, Golden, United States. pp.1027-1033. ⟨hal-02923131⟩