Energy Dissipation of Debris Flows over Stepped Gradients and Erodible Beds in Open Channel
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 7
Abstract
Energy of debris flows in steep mountainous channels is mostly consumed by erosion, collision, and hydraulic jumps due to abrupt topographic changes. In this study, flume experiments were performed to study the energy dissipation of debris flows over stepped gradients and erodible beds. A power law relationship between the depth-averaged velocity and flow depth was used to calculate the kinetic energy of debris flows. The experimental data indicate that the energy loss of entrainment per unit volume of bed sediment has an approximately linear relationship with transition angle and porosity. The net resistance coefficient also demonstrates more energy dissipation when debris flows move downward on slopes with a greater gradient change.
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Data Availability Statement
All the basic data generated or used during the study appear in the submitted article; background data (erosion descriptions, erosion photographs, flume velocities) generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
The study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41371039), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41801002), and “8.8” Jiuzhaigou Earthquake Stricken Area Ecological Disaster Prevention and Control of Key Scientific and Technological Support Project of Land and Resources Department of Sichuan Province (Grant No. KJ-2018-23). The authors thank the Dongchuan Debris Flow Observation and Research Station, CAS, for providing the laboratory and experimental setup.
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 7 • July 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 11, 2019
Accepted: Jan 2, 2020
Published online: Apr 21, 2020
Published in print: Jul 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Sep 21, 2020
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