This study was conducted to identify the characteristics and mobility of debris flows and analyze the performance of a berm as a debris flow mitigation measure. The debris flow velocity, flow depth, Froude number, flow resistance coefficients, and mobility ratio were accordingly determined using the results of flume tests. To analyze the influence of the berm, the results for a straight channel test without a berm were compared with those for a single-berm channel test. The debris flow velocity was observed to increase with increasing channel slope and decreasing volumetric concentration of sediment, whereas the mobility ratio was observed to increase with increasing channel slope and volumetric concentration of sediment. In addition, it was confirmed that the installation of a berm significantly decreased the debris flow velocity and mobility ratio. This indicates that a berm is an effective method for reducing damage to areas downstream of a debris flow by decreasing its potential mobility. By identifying the effects of berms on debris flow characteristics according to the channel slope and volumetric concentration of sediment, this study supports the development of berms to serve as debris flow damage mitigation measures.
In this study, laboratory tests were used to determine the deposition characteristics (runout distance, lateral width, and deposition area) of debris flow and their relationships with the flow characteristics (flow velocity and flow depth) according to the presence of a berm. An experimental flume 1.3 to 1.9 m long, 0.15 m wide, and 0.3 m high was employed to investigate the effects of channel slope and volumetric concentration of sediment with and without the berm. The runout distance (0.201–1.423 m), lateral width (0.045–0.519 m), and deposition area (0.008–0.519 m2) increased as the channel slope increased and as the volumetric concentration of sediment decreased. These quantities also increased with the flow velocity and flow depth. In addition, the maximum reductions in the runout distance, lateral width, and deposition area were 69.1%, 65.9%, and 93%, respectively, upon berm installation. The results of this study illustrate general debris flow characteristics according to berm installation; the reported relationship magnitudes are specific to the experimental conditions described herein. However, the results of this study contribute to the design of site-specific berms in the future by providing data describing the utility and function of berms in mitigating debris flow.
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