An analysis of the supply process of loose materials to mountainous rivers and gullies as a result of dry debris avalanches

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences 2017-07, Vol.76 (13), p.1, Article 452
• Main Authors: Zhou, Jia-wen, Yang, Xing-guo, Hou, Tian-xing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Avalanches; Biogeosciences; Bottom friction; Computer simulation; Debris; Detritus; Disasters; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Empirical analysis; Empirical models; Environmental Science and Engineering; Flumes; Friction; Geochemistry; Geology; Geophysics; Gullies; Hydrology/Water Resources; Impact analysis; Laboratory tests; Lakes; Landslides; Landslides & mudslides; Mass; Mass movement; Mathematical models; Mobility; Mountains; Numerical simulations; Original Article; Particle size; River flow; Rivers; Sliding; Slumping; Terrestrial Pollution; Tests; Travel; Water flow
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-017-6788-1

A dry debris avalanche will produce different volumes of colluviums or depositions (loose materials), which can have a significant impact on mountainous rivers or gullies. The loose material supply process caused by a debris avalanche is an important issue for understanding secondary disasters that form via the coupling of water flow and loose materials. Two flumes were designed for laboratory tests of the loose materials supply process to rivers/gullies, and the related impact factors were analyzed. Experimental results show that the supply of loose materials is a continuous process that directly relates to the avalanche’s mass movement processes. The sliding masses with smaller particle sizes are more sensitive to the flume slope and exhibited a longer supply time. The time-consuming for the debris avalanche travel in the flume decreased with the increasing particle size (such as flume B, time-consuming is decreased 0.2 s when the particle size increased from