Particle size and concentration effects in laboratory debris flow mixtures

München

2017

Sonderdruck

12226S

202744

Large scale chute experiments, as considered here, are essential for the proper understanding of the complex dynamic behavior of debris flow mixtures consisting of solid particles and viscous fluid. Main flow features that are measured on a laboratory scale are the debris flow front velocity, flow depth and mass evolution. We estimate the debris front position by image analysis technique, which in turn allows to evaluate the respective front velocity. Flow depths are determined by ultrasonic pulse reflections, and the masses are estimated with sensors measuring the normal forces. We investigate the influence of the two phase mixture material composition, including different fluid fractions. The laboratory set up consists of a large rectangular channel, 1.3 m wide and 7 m long. These dimensions allow also a lateral expansion of the debris flow when it moves down the inclined channel. Experiments on debris mixtures with different particle sizes and solid concentrations but same total mass are performed to evaluate the difference in spatial evolution of the debris flow dynamics with the same initial potential energy.