Hazards on Dujiangyan-Wenchuan Highways Induced by Catastrophic Debris Flows on July 10 2013 and Prevention

Abstract

After the Wenchuan Earthquake on May 12 2008, the highways from Dujiangyan to Wenchuan, a crucial passage from Chengdu to Sichuan Western Plateau and Gansu province, are always seriously endangered by landslides, debris flows and their following hazards. Hundreds of debris flows from watersheds, gullies and slopes on July 10 2013 produced fatal hazards and destruction on the Highway G213 and the Express Highway from Yingxiu to Wenchuan. The debris flows are characterized by numerous-occurrence, large flux (645~2238m3/s) and large magnitude (5~126×104m3) as well as the hazard chain process which is composed of debris flow, dammed lake and outburst flood. The highways were seriously destructed and blocked in 16 sites, which were induced by 6 collapsed bridges, 3 submerged bridges, 3 buried tunnel entrances, 1 site collapsed highway base and 7 sites buried highway base or bridges, and the traffic was completely interrupted. Based on analyzing the destruction modes of highways, it was found that the large-scale and potential debris flows and the irrational location of some sections, vulnerable protection measures and low resistant capability of highways against debris flows were responsible for huge highway destructions. Considering the active debris flows in the future at least 5~10 years, it was strongly suggested that potential debris flow identification, integrated management of disastrous watershed, dangerous road line altering, increasing and strengthening protection constructions at dangerous section and improving highway reconstruction standard should be carried out for highway protection and traffic security.