Magnitude–frequency relationships of debris flows and debris avalanches in relation to slope relief

Geomorphology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 96 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 355-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oldrich Hungr ◽  
Scott McDougall ◽  
Mike Wise ◽  
Michael Cullen
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flows ◽  
Debris Avalanches

A probabilistic model for assessing debris flow propagation at regional scale: a case study in Campania region, Italy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Crescenzo ◽  
Gaetano Pecoraro ◽  
Michele Calvello ◽  
Richard Guthrie
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Erosion And Deposition ◽  
Campania Region ◽  
Source Areas ◽  
Model Input ◽  
Travel Path ◽  
Debris Avalanches ◽  
Modelling Approach

<p>Debris flows and debris avalanches are rapid to extremely rapid landslides that tend to travel considerable distances from their source areas. Interaction between debris flows and elements at risk along their travel path may result in potentially significant destructive consequences. One of the critical challenges to overcome with respect to debris flow risk is, therefore, the credible prediction of their size, travel path, runout distance, and depths of erosion and deposition. To these purposes, at slope or catchment scale, sophisticated physically-based models, appropriately considering several factors and phenomena controlling the slope failure mechanisms, may be used. These models, however, are computationally costly and time consuming, and that significantly hinders their applicability at regional scale. Indeed, at regional scale, debris flows hazard assessment is usually carried out by means of qualitative approaches relying on field surveys, geomorphological knowledge, geometric features, and expert judgement.</p><p>In this study, a quantitative modelling approach based on cellular automata methods, wherein individual cells move across a digital elevation model (DEM) landscape following behavioral rules defined probabilistically, is proposed and tested. The adopted model, called LABS, is able to estimate erosion and deposition soil volumes along a debris flow path by deploying at the source areas autonomous subroutines, called agents, over a 5 m spatial resolution DEM, which provides the basic information to each agent in each time-step. Rules for scour and deposition are based on mass balance considerations and independent probability distributions defined as a function of slope DEM-derived values and a series of model input parameters. The probabilistic rules defined in the model are based on data gathered for debris flows and debris avalanches that mainly occurred in western Canada. This study mainly addresses the applicability and the reliability of this modelling approach to areas in southern Italy, in Campania region, historically affected by debris flows in pyroclastic soils. To this aim, information on inventoried debris flows is used in different study areas to evaluate the effect on the predictions of the model input parameter values, as well as of different native DEM resolutions.</p>

A debris flow triggered by the breaching of a moraine-dammed lake, Klattasine Creek, British Columbia

1985 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1492-1502 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Clague ◽  
S. G. Evans ◽  
Iain G. Blown
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Debris Flow ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Southern Coast ◽  
Coast Mountains ◽  
Debris Avalanches ◽  
Unconsolidated Sediment ◽  
Sudden Release ◽  
Dammed Lake ◽  
Unusual Origin

A very large debris flow of unusual origin occurred in the basin of Klattasine Creek (southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia) between June 1971 and September 1973. The flow was triggered by the sudden release of up to 1.7 × 106 m3 of water from a moraine-dammed lake at the head of a tributary of Klattasine Creek. Water escaping from the lake mobilized large quantities of unconsolidated sediment in the valley below and thus produced a debris flow that travelled in one or, more likely, several surges 8 km downvalley on an average gradient of 10° to the mouth of the stream. Here, the flow deposited a sheet of coarse bouldery debris up to about 20 m thick, which temporarily blocked Homathko River. Slumps, slides, and debris avalanches occurred on the walls of the valley both during and in years following the debris flow. Several secondary debris flows of relatively small size have swept down Klattasine Creek in the 12–14 years since Klattasine Lake drained.

Destructions on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) from Sost to Khunjerab Induced by Geo-Hazards and Prevention

2015 ◽  
Vol 744-746 ◽  
pp. 1234-1243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Gang Ge ◽  
Feng Huan Su ◽  
Xiao Qing Chen ◽  
Jian Qiang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flows ◽  
Emergency Treatment ◽  
Flash Flood ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Rock Falls ◽  
Debris Avalanches ◽  
Traffic Security ◽  
Hindu Kush ◽  
Treatment Plans ◽  
Karakoram Highway

The Karakoram Highway (KKH), from Islamabad of Pakistan to Kasha of China, passed through the junction areas of the mountains of Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush and suffers serious destruction of different geo-hazards. This work analyzed distribution and characteristics of geo-hazards, including debris avalanches, rock falls, debris flows, landslides and flash flood along Khunjerab River from Sost to Khungerab and their destructions on KKH(K726~K821). These geo-hazards are commonly initiated by intensive rainfall and melting of glacier and snow, and numerously occurred, especially debris avalanches, rock falls and debris flows, to seriously destruct highway and frequently interrupt traffic. The destructions of highway mainly came from the burying of landslides, debris flows and debris avalanches, the scouring of debris flow and flash flood, the submerging of dammed lakes induced by debris flows and landslides as well as the breaking of rock falls. After analyzing the lessons and experience of geo-hazards mitigating and highway protecting since 1970s, the measures of hazards mitigating, including identifying potential hazard sites,controlling and disposing rock falls in time,integrated controlling debris avalanches, debris flows, landslides and flash flood, establishing emergency treatment plans for hazard chain and founding hazards alarming and highway safe protecting system, are strongly suggested for highway protecting and traffic security.

Urban landslides in the vicinity of Vancouver, British Columbia, with special reference to the December 1979 rainstorm

1981 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. H. Eisbacher ◽  
J. J. Clague
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Unconsolidated Sediments ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Local Newspapers ◽  
Debris Avalanches ◽  
Autumn And Winter

Historical landslides in the urbanized Vancouver region, southwestern British Columbia, have almost commonly occurred along escarpments within and at the margins of gently rolling upland surfaces underlain by Pleistocene unconsolidated sediments. The most common and most destructive landslides are debris avalanches and debris flows. They are triggered by intense autumn and winter rainstorms, when water infiltrates and saturates the surficial layer of weathered colluvium. After failure the veneer of debris gains momentum and picks up additional soil and uprooted vegetation. Debris avalanches may temporarily block gullies swollen with runoff water, thus changing into rapidly moving debris flows.A severe rainstorm in December 1979 was accompanied by destructive debris avalanches and debris flows in urban areas in the vicinity of Vancouver. A search of local newspapers and meteorological records back to 1900 indicates that this event was not unique, for at least 26 other comparable storms have triggered landslides in the Vancouver region during this century. Thus it is likely that landslides similar to those of December 1979 will occur repeatedly in the future. The danger of such landslides to life and property will grow if potentially hazardous sites are urbanized without appropriate protective measures.

scholarly journals LABS: an agent-based run-out program for shallow landslides

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Guthrie ◽  
Andrew Befus
Keyword(s):  
Predictive Model ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Path Selection ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Debris Avalanches ◽  
First Case ◽  
Landslide Runout

Abstract. Credible models of landslide runout are a critical component of hazard and risk analysis in the mountainous regions worldwide. Hazard analysis benefits enormously from the number of available landslide runout models that can recreate events and provide key insights into the nature of landsliding phenomena. Regional models that are easily employed, however, remain a rarity. For debris flows and debris avalanches, where the impacts may occur some distance from the source, there remains a need for a practical, predictive model that can be applied at the regional scale. We present, herein, an agent-based simulation for debris flows and debris avalanches called LABS. A fully predictive model, LABS employs autonomous sub-routines, or agents, that act on an underlying DEM using a set of probabilistic rules for scour, deposition, path selection, and spreading behavior. Relying on observations of aggregate debris flow behavior, LABS predicts landslide runout, area, volume, and depth along the landslide path. The results can be analyzed within the program or exported in a variety of useful formats for further analysis. A key feature of LABS is that it requires minimal input data, relying primarily on a 5 m DEM and user defined initiation zones, and yet appears to produce realistic results. We demonstrate the applicability of LABS using two very different case studies from distinct geologic, geomorphic, and climatic settings. The first case study considers sediment production from the steep slopes of Papua, the island province of Indonesia; the second considers landslide runout as it affects a community on Vancouver Island off the west coast of Canada. We show how LABS works, how it performs compared to real world examples, what kinds of problems it can solve, and how the outputs compare to historical studies. Finally, we discuss its limitations and its intended use as a predictive regional landslide runout tool. LABS is freely available to not for profit groups including universities, NGOs and government organizations.

Velocity and runout simulation of destructive debris flows and debris avalanches in pyroclastic deposits, Campania region, Italy

2004 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Revellino ◽  
Oldrich Hungr ◽  
Francesco M. Guadagno ◽  
Stephen G. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flows ◽  
Pyroclastic Deposits ◽  
Campania Region ◽  
Debris Avalanches ◽  
Runout Simulation

Debris flows and debris avalanches in Clayoquot Sound

2007 ◽  
pp. 595-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence P. Rollerson ◽  
Thomas H. Millard ◽  
Denis A. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flows ◽  
Debris Avalanches ◽  
Clayoquot Sound
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