Can we reduce debris flow to an equivalent one-phase flow?

Abstract

A recent extension of the discrete element method is reported for the simulation of dense mixtures of non-colloidal particles and viscous fluids in the non-inertial regime. As an application, we examine the interplay between rate dependent dilatancy and hydro-mechanical coupling which can be expected in debris flow. The numerical model includes sphere-sphere contacts using a soft contact approach [2], short range hydrodynamic interactions defined by frame-invariant expressions of forces and torques in the lubrication approximation, and drag forces resulting from the poromechanical coupling computed with the DEM-PFV technique [3]. The bulk shear stress is decomposed into contact stress and hydrodynamic stress. Both contributions are shown to be increasing functions of a dimensionless shear rate Iv, in agreement with experimental results [4]. Statistics of microstructural variables highlight a complex interplay between solid contacts and hydrodynamic interactions. In contrast with a popular idea, the results suggest that lubrication may not necessarily reduce the contribution of contact forces to the bulk shear stress. The proposed model is general and applies directly to sheared satured granular media in which pore pressure feedback plays a key role. We argue that it can be the case for debris fow, especially during the triggering phase, when run-out include transitional phases, and when the flow is stopped. It is then concluded that debris cannot be computed by assuming solely the rheological properties of an equivalent mixture.