Results of Back-Analysis of the Propagation of Rock Avalanches as a Function of the Assumed Rheology

Abstract

Numerical simulation can provide a useful tool for investigating the dynamics of phenomena like rock avalanches, within realistic geological contexts and in the framework of a better risk assessment and decision making. Difficulties in numerical modelling of a heterogeneous moving mass are mainly linked to the simulation of the complex behaviour assumed by the mass during propagation. The numerical code RASH3D, based on a continuum mechanics approach and on the long wave approximation, is used to back-analyse two cases of rock avalanches: Frank (1903, Canada) and Val Pola (1987, Italy). The two events are characterised by approximately the same volume (about 30 × 106 m3) while the run out area morphologies are widely different. Three alternative “rheologies” (Frictional, Voellmy and Pouliquen) are used. Comparison among obtained results underlines that the validation of a “rheology” requires not only a good agreement between the numerical simulation results and the run out area boundaries but also in term of depth distribution of the mass in the deposit. In case of a Frictional rheology, the obtained calibrated dynamic friction angle values are in a range of 15 ± 1° for both the cases; while assuming a Pouliquen or a Voellmy rheology it emerges a different behaviour of rheological parameters for each of the considered events. Besides the calibration of rheological parameters to better back-analyse each of the considered events, it is investigated how the behaviour due to the assumed rheology is influenced by the geometry of the run out area (e.g. narrow or broad valley).