Debris Flow Modeling of the Chandmari and Sichey Landslides in Sikkim, India, Using the Distinct Element Method
Abstract
The slope failure and the debris flow at Chandmari and Sichey within the city of Gangtok in Sikkim, India, have been numerically analyzed using the distinct element method. The published data on the failure surface and the extent of the debris flow, which followed a 5-h, 210-mm rainfall event in 1997 at Chandmari, have been used to verify the adopted methodology. The numerical simulations have revealed that the runout distances predicted for the landslide are in agreement with the actual ground observations. After a satisfactory simulation of the Chandmari landslide, the instability and the debris flow at Sichey, located on the backside of the same mountain, were studied. The results indicated that a collapsed building noticed during a 2019 field visit to Sichey is located within the predicted failure surface. The debris flow after the ground saturation originates from two distinct parts of the Sichey slope, located near the toe and the crown of the potential failure surface. The debris flow from the lower slope failure, near the toe of the critical slip surface, has a longer runout distance and higher velocity than the debris flow from the upper slope failure near the crown of the critical slip surface. Due to a broad and relatively flat road bench located at the middle portion of the failure surface, these two distinct debris flows might not get a chance to merge to form a major destructive force entirely, and thus, the locality in the down slope might escape a total inundation.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions. The data set for modeling triaxial tests and debris flow conducted in the study is available without restrictions. The numerical code for modeling triaxial tests and debris flow conducted in the study is available with the following restrictions: numerical code has restrictions for sharing due to confidentiality. However, pseudocode can be provided.
Acknowledgments
This study is partly sponsored by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, New Delhi, vide MoES/Indo-Nor/PS-2/2015 dtd 26.04.2017.
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Published In
Natural Hazards Review
Volume 25 • Issue 4 • November 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 6, 2023
Accepted: May 28, 2024
Published online: Aug 6, 2024
Published in print: Nov 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jan 6, 2025
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Continuum mechanics
- Debris
- Disaster risk management
- Disasters and hazards
- Discrete element method
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Environmental engineering
- Failure analysis
- Flow (fluid dynamics)
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Geohazards
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Hydraulic engineering
- Hydrologic engineering
- Landslides
- Methodology (by type)
- Natural disasters
- Numerical methods
- Overland flow
- Pollutants
- Slopes
- Solid wastes
- Solids flow
- Wastes
- Water and water resources
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