Impact Model for Baffle Design Resisting Granular-Flow Disasters
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22, Issue 12
Abstract
Baffle structures are effective measures for decelerating granular flows and reducing their destructive power. However, the engineering design of baffle structures, particularly with respect to their height and strength, requires estimation of the run-up height and impact force, respectively, and remains challenging and immature. To describe the debris–baffle interaction, we propose an analytical model that incorporates the Froude number and ratio of the slit size to the particle size. The proposed model was verified based on numerical data. In this paper, we first discuss the determination of the empirical coefficients adopted in the proposed model. Then, using the flow properties of free flow in the proposed model, the calculated run-up height and total impact force on the first baffle array are compared to the results obtained by discrete element modeling. With regard to engineering design, the performance of the proposed model with a correction strategy and the baffle design considering unsteady-state flow dynamics are discussed in detail. The findings of this study suggest that the global maximum flow velocity and flow depth should be adopted in the engineering design of baffle structures.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41831291).
References
Ahmadipur, A., T. Qiu, and B. Sheikh. 2019. “Investigation of basal friction effects on impact force from a granular sliding mass to a rigid obstruction.” Landslides 16 (6): 1089–1105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-019-01156-0.
Albaba, A., S. Lambert, and T. Faug. 2018. “Dry granular avalanche impact force on a rigid wall: Analytic shock solution versus discrete element simulations.” Phys. Rev. E 97 (5): 052903. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.97.052903.
Bi, Y. Z., Y. J. Du, S. M. He, X. P. Sun, D. P. Wang, X. P. Li, H. Liang, and Y. Wu. 2018. “Numerical analysis of effect of baffle configuration on impact force exerted from rock avalanches.” Landslides 15 (5): 1029–1043. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-0979-z.
Choi, C. E., S. C. H. Au-Yeung, C. W. W. Ng, and D. Song. 2015. “Flume investigation of landslide granular debris and water run-up mechanisms.” Géotech. Lett. 5 (1): 28–32. https://doi.org/10.1680/geolett.14.00080.
Cui, P., J. Peng, P. Shi, H. Tang, C. Ouyang, Q. Zou, L. Liu, C. Li, and Y. Lei. 2021. “Scientific challenges of research on natural hazards and disaster risk.” Geogr. Sustainability 2 (3): 216–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geosus.2021.09.001.
Cui, P., C. Zeng, and Y. Lei. 2015. “Experimental analysis on the impact force of viscous debris flow.” Earth Surf. Processes Landforms 40 (12): 1644–1655. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3744.
Faug, T. 2021. “Impact force of granular flows on walls normal to the bottom: Slow versus fast impact dynamics.” Can. Geotech. J. 58 (1): 114–124. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2019-0399.
Goodwin, G. R., and C. E. Choi. 2020. “Slit structures: Fundamental mechanisms of mechanical trapping of granular flows.” Comput. Geotech. 119: 103376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103376.
Goodwin, G. R., C. E. Choi, and C.-Y. Yune. 2021. “Towards rational use of baffle arrays on sloped and horizontal terrain for filtering boulders.” Can. Geotech. J. 58 (10): 1571–1589. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2020-0363.
Hákonardóttir, K. M. 2003. A laboratory study of the interaction between supercritical, shallow flows and dams. Rep. No. 03038. Reykjavík, Iceland: Icelandic Meteorological Office (Vedurstofa Islands).
Hu, K. H., P. Cui, and J. Q. Zhang. 2012. “Characteristics of damage to buildings by debris flows on 7 August 2010 in Zhouqu, Western China.” Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 12 (7): 2209–2217. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-12-2209-2012.
Huang, Y., and B. Zhang. 2020. “Challenges and perspectives in designing engineering structures against debris-flow disaster.” Eur. J. Environ. Civ. Eng. 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/19648189.2020.1854126.
Huang, Y., B. Zhang, and C. Zhu. 2021. “Computational assessment of baffle performance against rapid granular flows.” Landslides 18 (1): 485–501. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01511-6.
Iverson, R. M., D. L. George, and M. Logan. 2016. “Debris flow run-up on vertical barriers and adverse slopes.” J. Geophys. Res.: Earth Surf. 121 (12): 2333–2357. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jf003933.
Jiang, Y.-J., X.-Y. Fan, L.-J. Su, S.-y. Xiao, J. Sui, R.-X. Zhang, Y. Song, and Z.-W. Shen. 2021. “Experimental validation of a new semi-empirical impact force model of the dry granular flow impact against a rigid barrier.” Landslides 18 (4): 1387–1402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01555-8.
Jiang, Y. J., and I. Towhata. 2013. “Experimental study of dry granular flow and impact behavior against a rigid retaining wall.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 46 (4): 713–729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0293-3.
Jóhannesson, T., P. Gauer, P. Issler, K. Lied, and K. M. Hákonardóttir. 2009. The design of avalanche protection dams: Recent practical and theoretical developments. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission.
Juang, C. H., W. Gong, and J. Wasowski. 2022. “Trending topics of significance in engineering geology.” Eng. Geol. 296: 106460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106460.
Kwan, J. 2012. Supplementary technical guidance on design of rigid debris-resisting barriers. Kowloon, Hong Kong: Hong Kong Geotechnical Engineering Office.
Li, X., J. Zhao, and K. Soga. 2021. “A new physically based impact model for debris flow.” Géotechnique 71 (8): 674–685. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.18.P.365.
Luo, H. Y., and L. M. Zhang. 2020. “Earth pressure buildup in impacting earth flow behind a barrier.” Int. J. Geomech. 20 (2): 04019170. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)gm.1943-5622.0001567.
Mast, C. M., P. Arduino, G. R. Miller, and P. Mackenzie-Helnwein. 2014. “Avalanche and landslide simulation using the material point method: Flow dynamics and force interaction with structures.” Comput. Geosci. 18 (5): 817–830. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10596-014-9428-9.
Ng, C. W. W., C. E. Choi, and G. R. Goodwin. 2019. “Froude characterization for unsteady single-surge dry granular flows: Impact pressure and run-up height.” Can. Geotech. J. 56 (12): 1968–1978. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2018-0529.
Ng, C. W. W., C. E. Choi, R. C. H. Koo, G. R. Goodwin, D. Song, and J. S. H. Kwan. 2018. “Dry granular flow interaction with dual-barrier systems.” Géotechnique 68 (5): 386–399. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.16.P.273.
Ng, C. W. W., C. E. Choi, L. H. D. Liu, Y. Wang, D. Song, and N. Yang. 2017a. “Influence of particle size on the mechanism of dry granular run-up on a rigid barrier.” Géotech. Lett. 7 (1): 79–89. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgele.16.00159.
Ng, C. W. W., C. E. Choi, D. Song, J. H. S. Kwan, R. C. H. Koo, H. Y. K. Shiu, and K. K. S. Ho. 2015. “Physical modeling of baffles influence on landslide debris mobility.” Landslides 12 (1): 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-014-0476-y.
Ng, C. W. W., D. Song, C. E. Choi, L. H. D. Liu, J. S. H. Kwan, R. C. H. Koo, and W. K. Pun. 2017b. “Impact mechanisms of granular and viscous flows on rigid and flexible barriers.” Can. Geotech. J. 54 (2): 188–206. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2016-0128.
Papathoma-Köhle, M., B. Gems, M. Sturm, and S. Fuchs. 2017. “Matrices, curves and indicators: A review of approaches to assess physical vulnerability to debris flows.” Earth Sci. Rev. 171: 272–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2017.06.007.
Pudasaini, S. P., K. Hutter, S.-S. Hsiau, S.-C. Tai, Y. Wang, and R. Katzenbach. 2007. “Rapid flow of dry granular materials down inclined chutes impinging on rigid walls.” Phys. Fluids 19 (5): 053302. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2726885.
Rossi, G., and A. Armanini. 2019. “Impact force of a surge of water and sediments mixtures against slit check dams.” Sci. Total Environ. 683: 351–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.124.
Shen, W. G., T. Zhao, J. D. Zhao, F. Dai, and G. G. D. Zhou. 2018. “Quantifying the impact of dry debris flow against a rigid barrier by DEM analyses.” Eng. Geol. 241: 86–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2018.05.011.
Song, D., X. Chen, G. G. D. Zhou, X. Lu, G. Cheng, and Q. Chen. 2021. “Impact dynamics of debris flow against rigid obstacle in laboratory experiments.” Eng. Geol. 291: 106211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106211.
Thouret, J. C., S. Antoine, C. Magill, and C. Ollier. 2020. “Lahars and debris flows: Characteristics and impacts.” Earth Sci. Rev. 201: 103003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.103003.
Wang, D. P., Q. Z. Li, Y. Z. Bi, and S. M. He. 2020. “Effects of new baffles system under the impact of rock avalanches.” Eng. Geol. 264: 105261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.105261.
Yang, E., H. H. Bui, G. D. Nguyen, C. E. Choi, C. W. W. Ng, H. De Sterck, and A. Bouazza. 2021. “Numerical investigation of the mechanism of granular flow impact on rigid control structures.” Acta Geotech. 16 (8): 2505–2527. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-021-01162-4.
Yin, Y., B. Li, W. Wang, L. Zhan, Q. Xue, Y. Gao, N. Zhang, H. Chen, T. Liu, and A. Li. 2016. “Mechanism of the December 2015 catastrophic landslide at the Shenzhen landfill and controlling geotechnical risks of urbanization.” Engineering 2 (2): 230–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2016.02.005.
Zanchetta, G., R. Sulpizio, M. T. Pareschi, F. M. Leoni, and R. Santacroce. 2004. “Characteristics of May 5–6, 1998 volcaniclastic debris flows in the Sarno area (Campania, southern Italy): Relationships to structural damage and hazard zonation.” J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 133 (1–4): 377–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0377-0273(03)00409-8.
Zhang, B., and Y. Huang. 2022a. “Effect of unsteady flow dynamics on the impact of monodisperse and bidisperse granular flow.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ. 81 (2): 77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-022-02573-7.
Zhang, B., and Y. Huang. 2022b. “Numerical and analytical analyses of the impact of monodisperse and bidisperse granular flows on a baffle structure.” Landslides. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-022-01927-2.
Zhang, B., and Y. Huang. 2022c. “Impact behavior of dry granular flow against baffle structure: Coupled effect of Froude and particle characteristics.” Géotechnique.
Zhang, B., Y. Huang, and J. Liu. 2021. “Micro-mechanism and efficiency of baffle structure in deceleration of granular flows.” Acta Geotech. 16 (11): 3667–3688. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-021-01290-x.
Zhou, G. G. D., J. H. Du, D. R. Song, C. E. Choi, H. S. Hu, and C. h. Jiang. 2020. “Numerical study of granular debris flow run-up against slit dams by discrete element method.” Landslides 17 (3): 585–595. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-019-01287-4.
Zhu, C., Z. Chen, and Y. Huang. 2021. “Coupled moving particle simulation-finite-element method analysis of fluid-structure interaction in geodisasters.” Int. J. Geomech. 21 (6): 04021081. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)gm.1943-5622.0002041.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22 • Issue 12 • December 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 22, 2021
Accepted: Jun 4, 2022
Published online: Sep 23, 2022
Published in print: Dec 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Feb 23, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Baffles (hydraulic)
- Continuum mechanics
- Design (by type)
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Flow (fluid dynamics)
- Flow measurement
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Fluid velocity
- Forces (type)
- Free flow
- Granular materials
- Hydraulic engineering
- Hydraulic structures
- Hydrologic engineering
- Impact forces
- Materials engineering
- Measurement (by type)
- Solid mechanics
- Structural design
- Structural engineering
- Water and water resources
- Wave velocity
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.