Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A study of methods to estimate debris flow velocity

Landslides volume 5, pages 431–444 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Debris flow velocities are commonly back-calculated from superelevation events which require subjective estimates of radii of curvature of bends in the debris flow channel or predicted using flow equations that require the selection of appropriate rheological models and material property inputs. This research investigated difficulties associated with the use of these conventional velocity estimation methods. Radii of curvature estimates were found to vary with the extent of the channel investigated and with the scale of the media used, and back-calculated velocities varied among different investigated locations along a channel. Distinct populations of Bingham properties were found to exist between those measured by laboratory tests and those back-calculated from field data; thus, laboratory-obtained values would not be representative of field-scale debris flow behavior. To avoid these difficulties with conventional methods, a new preliminary velocity estimation method is presented that statistically relates flow velocity to the channel slope and the flow depth. This method presents ranges of reasonable velocity predictions based on 30 previously measured velocities.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

References

  • Apmann RP (1973) Estimating discharge from superelevation in bends. J Hydraul Div 99:65–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Arattano M (2003) Monitoring the presence of the debris-flow front and its velocity through ground vibration detectors. In: Rickenmann D, Chen C-L (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the third international conference. Millpress, Rotterdam, pp 719–730

    Google Scholar 

  • Arattano M, Grattoni P (2000) Using a fixed video camera to measure debris-flow surface velocity. In: Wieczorek GF, Naeser ND (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the second international conference. AA Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 273–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Arattano M, Deganutti AM, Marchi L (1997) Debris flow monitoring activities in an instrumented watershed on the Italian Alps. In: Chen C-L (ed) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the first international conference. ASCE, New York, pp 506–515

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertolo P, Wieczorek GF (2005) Calibration of numerical models for small debris flows in Yosemite Valley, California, USA. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 5:993–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C-L (1987) Comprehensive review of debris flow modeling concepts in Japan. In: Costa JE, Wieczorek GF (eds) Reviews in engineering geology, vol VII. Debris flows/avalanches: process, recognition, and mitigation. The Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, pp 13–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Chou HT, Liao WM, Lin ML (2000) Landslide induced debris-flow at a dump site. In: Wieczorek GF, Naeser ND (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the second international conference. AA Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 157–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Chow VT (1959) Open-channel hydraulics. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa JE (1984) Physical geomorphology of debris flows. In: Costa JE, Fleisher PJ (eds) Developments and applications of geomorphology. Springer, Berlin, pp 268–317

    Google Scholar 

  • Cui P, Chen X, Waqng Y, Hu K, Li Y (2005) Jiangjia Ravine debris flows in south-western China. In: Jakob M, Hungr O (eds) Debris-flow hazards and related phenomena. Praxis, Chichester, pp 565–594

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Curry RR (1966) Observation of alpine mudflows in the Tenmile Range, central Colorado. Geol Soc Amer Bull 77:771–776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeGraff JV (1997) Geologic investigation of the Pilot Ridge debris flow, Groveland Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service FS-6200-7 (10/73)

  • Dibblee TW Jr (2003a) Geologic map of the Cajon Quadrangle, San Bernardino County, California. Dibblee geology center map #DF-104. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California

    Google Scholar 

  • Dibblee TW Jr (2003b) Geologic map of the Devore Quadrangle, San Bernardino County, California. Dibblee geology center map #DF-105. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California

    Google Scholar 

  • Gartner JE (2005) Relations between wildfire related debris-flow volumes and basin morphology, burn severity, material properties and triggering storm rainfall. Master of Arts thesis, University of Colorado Department of Geography

  • Genevois R, Tecca PR, Berti M, Simoni A (2000) Debris-flows in the dolomites: experimental data from a monitoring system. In: Wieczorek GF, Naeser ND (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the second international conference. AA Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 283–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton D, Zhang S (1997) Velocity profile assessment for debris flow hazards. In: Chen C-L (ed) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the first international conference. ASCE, New York, pp 474–483

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson FM (1966) Open channel flow. Macmillan, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungr O, Morgan GC, Kellerhals R (1984) Quantitative analysis of debris torrent hazards for design of remedial measures. Can Geotech J 21:663–677

    Google Scholar 

  • Iverson RM (1997) The physics of debris flows. Rev Geophys 35:245–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iverson RM (2003) The debris-flow rheology myth. In: Rickenmann D, Chen C-L (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the third international conference. Millpress, Rotterdam, pp 303–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Iverson RM, LaHusen RG, Major JJ, Zimmerman CL (1994) Debris flow against obstacles and bends: dynamics and deposits. EOS Trans Am Geophys Union 75:274

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson LE Jr (1979) A catastrophic glacial outburst flood (jökulhlaup) mechanism for debris flow generation at the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse River basin, British Columbia. Can Geotech J 16:806–813

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson LE Jr, Hungr O, Gardner JS, Mackay C (1989) Cathedral Mountain debris flows, Canada. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 40:35–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jakob M (2005) A size classification for debris flows. Eng Geol 79:151–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jakob M, Hungr O, Thomson B (1997) Two debris flows with anomalously high magnitude. In: Chen C-L (ed) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the first international conference. ASCE, New York, pp 382–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakob M, Anderson D, Fuller T, Hungr O, Ayotte D (2000) An unusually large debris flow at Hummingbird Creek, Mara Lake, British Columbia. Can Geotech J 37:1109–1125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jan CD, Wang YY, Han WL (2000) Resistance reduction of debris-flow due to air entrainment. In: Wieczorek GF, Naeser ND (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the second international conference. AA Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 369–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson AM (1984) Debris flow. In: Brunsden D, Prior DB (eds) Slope instability. Wiley, Chichester, pp 257–361

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson AM, Martosudarmo SY (1997) Discrimination between inertial and macro-viscous flows of fine-grained debris with a rolling-sleeve viscometer. In: Chen C-L (ed) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the first international conference. ASCE, New York, pp 229–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan RP (1994) Debris flows in the Southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia: dynamic behaviour and physical properties. Doctor of Philosophy thesis, The University of British Columbia

  • Keaton JR, DeGraff JV (1996) Surface observation and geologic mapping. In: Turner AK, Schuster RL (eds) Landslides investigation and mitigation. Special Report 247, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, pp 178–230

  • Lo DOK (2000) Review of natural terrain landslide debris-resisting barrier design. GEO Report No. 104, Geotechnical Engineering Office, Civil Engineering Department, The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

  • Locat J (1997) Normalized rheological behaviour of fine muds and their flow properties in a pseudoplastic regime. In: Chen C-L (ed) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the first international conference. ASCE, New York, pp 260–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorenzini G, Mazza N (2004) Debris flow phenomenology and rheological modeling. WIT Press, Southampton

    Google Scholar 

  • Major JJ, Iverson RM (1999) Debris-flow deposition: effects of pore-fluid pressure and friction concentrated at flow margins. GSA Bull 111:1424–1434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marina P, Giuseppe S (2007) The runout of debris flows: application of two numerical models and comparison of results. Proceedings of the first North American landslide conference, Vail, Colorado, 3–8 June 2007 (compact disk)

  • McArdell BW, Zanuttigh B, Lamberti A, Rickenmann D (2003) Systematic comparison of debris-flow laws at the Illgraben torrent, Switzerland. In: Rickenmann D, Chen C-L (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the third international conference. Millpress, Rotterdam, pp 647–657

    Google Scholar 

  • McClung DM (2001) Superelevation of flowing avalanches around curved channel bends. J Geophys Res 106:16,489–16,498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald GN, Giraud RE (2002) September 12, 2002, fire-related debris flows east of Santaquin and Spring Lake, Utah County, Utah. Technical Report 02-09, Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, Utah

  • Meyer GA, Wells SG (1997) Fire-related sedimentation events on alluvial fans, Yellowstone National Park, U.S.A. J Sediment Res 67:776–791

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer GA, Pierce JL, Wood SH, Jull AJT (2001) Fire, storms, and erosional events in the Idaho batholith. Hydrol Process 15:3025–3038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nasmith HW, Mercer AG (1979) Design of dykes to protect against debris flows at Port Alice, British Columbia. Can Geotech J 16:748–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien JS (1986) Physical processes, rheology and modeling of mud flows. Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, Colorado State University

  • Pashias N, Boger DV (1996) A fifty cent rheometer for yield stress measurement. J Rheol 40:1179–1189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierson TC (1985) Initiation and flow behavior of the 1980 Pine Creek and Muddy River lahars, Mount St. Helens, Washington. Geol Soc Amer Bull 96:1056–1069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierson TC, Costa JE (1987) A rheologic classification of subaerial sediment-water flows. In: Costa JE, Wieczorek GF (eds) Reviews in engineering geology, vol VII. Debris flows/avalanches: process, recognition, and mitigation. The Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, pp 1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Reneau SL, Dietrich WE (1987) The importance of hollows in debris flow studies; examples from Marin County, California. In: Costa JE, Wieczorek GF (eds) Reviews in engineering geology, vol VII. Debris flows/avalanches: process, recognition, and mitigation. The Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, pp 165–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Rickenmann D (1999) Empirical relationships for debris flows. Nat Hazards 19:47–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rickenmann D, Koch T (1997) Comparison of debris flow modelling approaches. In: Chen C-L (ed) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the first international conference. ASCE, New York, pp 576–585

    Google Scholar 

  • Santi PM (1988) The kinematics of debris flow transport down a canyon. Master of Science in Geology Thesis, Texas A&M University

  • Santi PM, Higgins JD, Cannon SH, DeGraff JV (2006) Evaluation of post-wildfire debris flow mitigation methods and development of decision-support tools. Final Report to the Joint Fire Science Program, JFSP Contract 03-1-4-14. Also at http://www.firescience.gov/projects/03-1-4-14/03-1-4-14_final_report.pdf

  • Savage WZ, Smith WK (1986) A model for the plastic flow of landslides. US Geological Survey Professional Paper 1385, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, DC

  • Soule NC (2006) The influence of coarse material on the yield strength and viscosity of debris flows. Master of Science in Geological Engineering Thesis, Colorado School of Mines

  • Suwa H, Yamakoshi T (2000) Estimation of debris-flow motion by field surveys. In: Wieczorek GF, Naeser ND (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the second international conference. AA Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 293–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Suwa H, Akamatsu J, Nagai Y (2003) Energy radiation by elastic waves from debris flows. In: Rickenmann D, Chen C-L (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the third international conference. Millpress, Rotterdam, pp 895–904

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas GB Jr, Finney RL (1984) Calculus and analytic geometry. Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  • Tropeano D, Turconi L, Rosso M, Cavallo C (2003) The October 15, 2000 debris flow in the Bioley torrent, Fenis, Aosta valley, Italy—damage and processes. In: Rickenmann D, Chen C-L (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the third international conference. Millpress, Rotterdam, pp 1037–1048

    Google Scholar 

  • VanDine DF (1985) Debris flows and debris torrents in the Southern Canadian Cordillera. Can Geotech J 22:44–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanDine DF (1996) Debris flow control structures for forest engineering. British Columbia Ministry of Forests Research Program, Working Paper 08/1996

  • Williams GP (1986) River meanders and channel size. J Hydrol 88:147–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Chen J (2003) Measurement of debris-flow surface characteristics through close-range photogrammetry. In: Rickenmann D, Chen C-L (eds) Debris-flow hazards mitigation: mechanics, prediction, and assessment. Proceedings of the third international conference. Millpress, Rotterdam, pp 775–784

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work has been funded by the US Department of Education through a Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship, award #P200A060133. Thanks to Richard Giraud from the Utah Geological Survey for providing airphotos and to Ron Allingham for AutoCAD assistance. Also thanks to Victor deWolfe, Joe Gartner, Morgan McArthur, and Nate Soule for the measurement of many of the cross-sections used in this study. Joe Gartner, Jason Kean, and two anonymous reviewers provided helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1516 Illinois Street, Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    Adam B. Prochaska, Paul M. Santi & Jerry D. Higgins

  2. US Geological Survey, P.O. Box 25046, Mail Stop 966, Denver, CO, 80225-0046, USA

    Susan H. Cannon

Authors
  1. Adam B. Prochaska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul M. Santi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jerry D. Higgins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Susan H. Cannon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adam B. Prochaska.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prochaska, A.B., Santi, P.M., Higgins, J.D. et al. A study of methods to estimate debris flow velocity. Landslides 5, 431–444 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-008-0137-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-008-0137-0

Keywords

search

Navigation