Estimation of debris flow discharge coefficient considering sediment concentration

Abstract

A sabo dam has a purpose to block the path of debris flow. However, when overflow occurs, a sabo dam works as a weir, a vertical obstruction, where the fluid must flow over. Many empirical formulas and discharge coefficients for weirs relating flow depth to discharge have been proposed to calculate overflow discharges. However, only a few studies about overflow discharge coefficients are available in the case of debris flow. In this paper, experiments and numerical simulations were done to estimate debris flow discharge coefficients by considering the sediment concentration. In the numerical simulation, a complete overflow equation and a free overfall equation were implemented to calculate debris overflow discharges at a sabo dam. To determine the discharge coefficients for each equation, single factor regression analysis was used. Laboratory experiments were done to calibrate and to compare with the simulation. Study results showed that the discharge coefficients increase as the sediment concentration increases. This finding suggests debris flow discharge coefficients are derived to calculate the debris overflow discharges at a sabo dam.