Lateral Levees Research Articles

River Mouth Hydrodynamics: The Role of the Outlet Geometry and Transient Tidal and River Discharge Conditions on the Jet Structure

AbstractThe hydrodynamics of river mouths are the result of a complex interaction between river flow, tidal conditions, and outlet geometry. This complex interaction of factors shapes the jet that flows onto the continental shelf and influences the dynamics of these areas. This work analyses the influence of idealized but realistic outlet geometries under steady and unsteady hydrodynamic conditions on the jet structure. The analysis is carried out using a numerical model which is validated by comparison with the classical jet theory for highly simplified conditions where this theory applies. The results show that both the outlet geometry and the transient hydrodynamic conditions have a significant influence on the jet structure and evolution along the nearshore. For constant river discharge and water level conditions, the results indicate that the nearshore profile plays a key role in determining the expansion or contraction of the jet. The momentum balance shows that the jet behavior is related to the momentum transport and the barotropic terms. In cases where the river discharge and tidal conditions are transient, the jet alternates between a structure with two velocity maxima at the edges or a single peak in the center during the tidal cycle depending on the phase lag between the tidal conditions and the river hydrograph. These two different jet structures play an important role in the morphodynamic evolution of the river mouths and bar development, favoring in some cases the formation of lateral levees parallel to the channel walls.

Bedform development in confined and unconfined settings of the Carchuna Canyon (Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean Sea): An example of cyclic steps in shelf-incised canyons

Newly acquired high-resolution multibeam bathymetry in combination with sub-bottom acoustic profiles, surficial sediment samples, and three-dimensional flow simulations made possible the characterization of bedforms along the axial channel and depositional lobe of the shelf-incised Carchuna Canyon (Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean Sea). This study aims to describe the erosional and depositional bedforms in confined and unconfined settings of the Carchuna Canyon in order to determine the genetic constraints on sedimentary processes leading to bedform development along the canyon in recent times.The straight Carchuna Canyon, deeply incised in the shelf up to 200 m off the coastline, hosts: (1) crescentic-shaped bedforms (CSBs) that exhibit distinctive crest concavities, asymmetries, and lengths along the axial channel; (2) continuous lateral levees and; (3) a channel bend with three depressed stretches of the levee crest that are less than 20 m high. A set of concentric sediment waves and two scour trails were identified proximal to the channel bend over an overbank deposit east of the Carchuna Canyon. Four acoustic units with distinct acoustic facies were defined along the sediment wave field. The sediment transport simulation shows the highest flow velocities along the Carchuna Canyon thalweg, while over the overbank deposit the highest velocity values occur along the top of the bedform crests, with the higher Froude values being found over bedform lee sides.The occurrence of CSBs along the canyon axial channel suggests the imprint of confined sediment-laden gravity flows descending from the canyon head and exhibiting a flow variability along the canyon induced by local variations of slope gradient and/or sediment concentration. A spatial relationship is identified between the development of sediment waves over the overbank deposit and lowered levee crest heights at the channel bend. In contrast, more energetic downstream turbiditic flows exceed the levee crest at the channel bend, focusing the overflow and promoting erosion of the overbank deposit, thereby generating the scour trains. Based on the recent history of overbank deposition, two alternating scenarios of flow behavior can be interpreted. In a high-density turbidity current setting, erosion would prevail along the axial channel. Widespread spillover flows of coarse-grained sediments would occur in both levees, forming heterogeneous sedimentary patterns that change downslope within the depositional lobe due to lesser turbulence of spillover turbidity currents and gentler slope gradients. In contrast, in a low-density turbidity current setting, turbidity currents flowing along the Carchuna Canyon would form depositional bedforms in the axial channel, while spillover processes would be localized at the channel bend, forming either depositional or erosional bedforms over the depositional lobe according to the frequency, magnitude and focusing of turbiditic flows.

The largest rock avalanche in China at Iymek, Eastern Pamir, and its spectacular emplacement landscape

Catastrophic rock avalanches are widely distributed on Earth and share a series of common diagnostic features that play a vital role in revealing their emplacement mechanisms. Combined with satellite imagery, field investigation, and statistical analysis, a comprehensive investigation is conducted on the gigantic Iymek rock avalanche (IRA) in eastern Pamir, China. The IRA with a volume of ~0.98 km3 detached mass advanced 16.3 km on an unconfined terrain, covered an area of 48.5 km2 with a depth of 10–90 m, and deposited an estimated volume of 1.37 km3 deposits, making it the largest rock avalanche known in China. Its spectacular emplacement landscape provides an excellent laboratory for studying rock avalanches. Morphologically, the IRA deposit exhibits characteristic undulating features, including trimlines, longitudinal ridges, hummocks, transverse ridges, raised distal edge, and raised lateral levees. On the profile, numerous representative landslide-tectonic structures, principally composed of the preserved stratigraphic sequence, pervasive shear bands, spectacular clastic dikes, diapiric intrusion, folds, and normal/thrust faults, are revealed. The sequential assemblage of these morphological landforms and internal structures demonstrates that the propagation of the IRA should behave like a laminar flow with distributed shearing and obey three major stress processes, i.e. extension-dominated process in the proximal area, compression-dominated process in the distal area, and slightly lateral spreading in the central area and the areas adjacent to the margin of the deposit sheet. During its propagation, the strong substrate, mainly composed of gravel-dominated coarse material, should play a decisive role in casting most of the depositional landscapes. Restricted by the strong substrate, prominent lateral levees are well-developed in the accumulation zone with a series of rolling flame structures. This powerfully indicates that the formation of the lateral levees should be attributed to a continuously sideward movement of the frontal mass due to the push from the rear part instead of a particle self-segregation mechanism. Furthermore, the cutting relationship between the clastic dikes and subhorizontal shear bands in local positions indicates that the localized liquefaction of the substrate is not a contributor for the high mobility of the IRA and is only a product of the strong interaction between the sliding mass and the substrate at the final stage. This comprehensive study not only provides important information that contributes to an interpretation of similar features on Earth, but also yields insight into the underlying mechanisms responsible for the emplacement of rock avalanches.

Lake-islands: A distinct morphology of river systems

Islands are important morphologies in multichannel fluvial systems for maintaining secondary channels, increasing flow efficiency in the widest stretches, and hosting important ecological environments. This study presents a hitherto unclassified, distinct type of fluvial island that occurs in large rivers: the lake-island. We analyzed islands from large rivers, particularly from South American rivers, the Negro (Amazon Basin) and Paraná (La Plata Basin) Rivers. Satellite images were used for identification and morphometric analysis, while morphometric indices were used to compare island morphologies. Sedimentary facies analysis and dating were also conducted to characterize the island deposits. Lake-islands are differentiated from typical fluvial islands by their lenticular morphology, and frontal and lateral levees that protect and isolate the lake or allow it to be partially connected to the channel. Lake-island morphology can be elongated or circular, based on their morphometric indices and their relationship with channel width. Lake-island lengths varied from hundreds of meters to tens of kilometers. They are formed by in-channel deposition on preexisting sand bars or fluvial islands. Their sedimentary characteristics are relatively simple and comprise basal sandy facies capped by finer-grained deposits. The permanence of lake-islands depends on the flow regime and sedimentary load of the fluvial system. The lake-island's age ranges from 101 to 103 years. A comprehensive understanding of the formation processes and dynamics of lake-islands is of fundamental importance in the management of large fluvial systems, and studies of fluvial ecology.

The Eureka Valley Landslide: Evidence of a Dual Failure Mechanism for a Long-Runout Landslide

Abstract Long-runout landslides are well-known and notorious geologic hazards in many mountainous parts of the world. Commonly encompassing enormous volumes of debris, these rapid mass movements place populations at risk through both direct impacts and indirect hazards, such as downstream flooding. Despite their evident risks, the mechanics of these large-scale landslides remain both enigmatic and controversial. In this work, we illuminate the inner workings of one exceptionally well-exposed and well-preserved long-runout landslide of late Pleistocene age located in Eureka Valley, east-central California, Death Valley National Park. The landslide originated in the detachment of more than 5 million m3 of Cambrian bedrock from a rugged northwest-facing outcrop in the northern Last Chance Range. Its relatively compact scale, well-preserved morphology, varied lithologic composition, and strategic dissection by erosional processes render it an exceptional laboratory for the study of the long-runout phenomenon in a dry environment. The landslide in Eureka Valley resembles, in miniature, morphologically similar “Blackhawk-like” landslides on Earth, Mars, and minor planet Ceres, including the well-known but much larger Blackhawk landslide of southern California. Like these other landslides, the landslide in Eureka Valley consists of a lobate, distally raised main lobe bounded by raised lateral levees. Like other terrestrial examples, it is principally composed of pervasively fractured, clast-supported breccia. Based on the geologic characteristics of the landslide and its inferred kinematics, a two-part emplacement mechanism is advanced: (1) a clast-breakage mechanism (cataclasis) active in the bedrock canyon areas and (2) sliding on a substrate of saturated sediments encountered and liquefied by the main lobe of the landslide as it exited the main source canyon. Mechanisms previously hypothesized to explain the high-speed runout and morphology of the landslide and its Blackhawk-like analogs are demonstrably inconsistent with the geology, geomorphology, and mineralogy of the subject deposit and its depositional environment.

Similarities and contrasts between the subaerial and subaqueous deposits of subaerially triggered debris flows: An analogue experimental study

ABSTRACT Debris flows and lahars are dense masses of water and sediment which are common phenomena in mountainous and volcanic regions, respectively. Where these flows debouch into water bodies they can trigger impulse waves (tsunamis) and form subaqueous deposits. Such deposits are important indicators for areas at risk from debris flows, lahars, and tsunamis and form archives of past environmental conditions. Correctly interpreting this archive, however, depends on our understanding of the sedimentology and architecture of the deposits. While subaerial debris-flow deposits have been extensively studied, there is a comparative lack of understanding of the deposits of subaerial debris flows that debouch into a water body. We experimentally investigate the similarities and contrasts between subaerial and subaqueous debris-flow deposits for flows of various magnitudes and compositions initiated in a subaerial environment. We show that flows depositing on a subaqueous plane generally have a deposit area similar to flows forming in a subaerial setting. Deposits forming on a subaqueous plane, however, are typically shorter and wider with similar thickness, as a result of interactions between the flow and the reservoir water body. Both in subaerial and subaqueous environments the deposits form coarse-grained lateral levees and frontal snout margins. However, where the levees are able to laterally confine the subaerial flows leading to deposits with constant to tapering width, the subaqueous deposits widen with distance offshore because of flow fluidization. Moreover, the frontal snout is often very dispersed, a sharp frontal margin is absent, and many isolated particles are deposited in front of the main deposit margin as a result of interactions between the debris flow and the reservoir water body. These results largely agree with observations of subaqueous pyroclastic-flow deposits. The similarity in area of subaerial and subaqueous deposits suggests that we can apply empirical relations based on subaerial flows to estimate the inundation area and flow volume of subaerial–subaqueous flows.

Holocene alluvial fan evolution, Schmidt‐hammer exposure‐age dating and paraglacial debris floods in the SE Jostedalsbreen region, southern Norway

The evolution of several sub‐alpine alluvial fans SE of the Jostedalsbreen ice cap was investigated based on their geomorphology and Schmidt‐hammer exposure‐age dating (SHD) applied to 47 boulder deposits on the fan surfaces. A debris‐flood rather than debrisflow or water‐flow origin for the deposits was inferred from their morphology, consisting of low ridges with terminal splays up to 100 m wide without lateral levees. This was supported by fan, catchment, and boulder characteristics. SHD ages ranged from 9480±765 to 1955±810 years. The greatest number of boulder deposits, peak debris‐flood activity and maximum fan aggradation occurred between ̃9.0 and 8.0 ka, following regional deglaciation at ̃9.7 ka. The high debris concentrations necessary for debris floods were attributed to paraglacial processes enhanced by unstable till deposits on steep slopes within the catchments. From ̃8.0 ka, fan aggradation became progressively less as the catchment sediment sources tended towards exhaustion, precipitation decreased during the Holocene Thermal Maximum, and tree cover increased. After ̃4.0 ka, some areas of fan surfaces stabilized, while Late‐Holocene climatic deterioration led to renewed fan aggradation in response to the neoglacial growth of glaciers, culminating in the Little Ice Age. These changes are generalized within a conceptual model of alluvial fan evolution in this recently‐deglaciated mountain region and in glacierized catchments. This study highlights the potential importance of debris floods, of which relatively little is known, especially in the context of alluvial fan evolution.

A mechanical model for phase separation in debris flow

Understanding the physics of phase separation between solid and fluid phases as a mixture mass moves down-slope is a long-standing challenge. Here, we propose an extension of a two phase mass flow model (“Pudasaini (2012), A general two-phase debris flow model, Journal of Geophysical Research, 117, F03010, doi:10.1029/2011JF002186”) by including a new mechanism, called separation-flux, that leads to strong phase separation in avalanche and debris flows while balancing the enhanced solid flux with the reduced fluid flux. The relative velocity between the phases is key in triggering the phase separation mechanism, which is induced by the effective forces that appear in the system. The novel separation-flux can be written as a product of the separation-rate, solid and fluid volume fractions, and the flow depth which amplify the separation-flux. Its magnitude is further controlled by the separation-rate-intensities which are functions of volume fractions and the density ratio. The separation-fluxes are multi-directional. One of the most important characteristics of the separation-flux is that phase separation ceases as soon as one of the components in the mixture vanishes. As the solid density approaches the fluid density, the phase separation intensity is reduced. Furthermore, as the drag increases, the phase separation decreases. The separation velocity emerges from the separation-flux as a function of the relative phase velocity, volume fraction of solid or fluid, and the respective separation-rate-intensity. The separation-rate takes into account different dominant physical and mechanical aspects of the mixture flow, such as the hydraulic pressure gradients, topography induced pressure gradients, the gradients of the volume fractions of solid and fluid phases, flow depths, grain size, densities, friction, viscosities, and buoyancy. The separation-flux mechanism is capable of describing the dynamically evolving phase separation and levee formation in a multi-phase, geometrically three-dimensional debris flow. These are often observed phenomena in natural debris flows and industrial processes that involve the transportation of particulate solid-fluid mixture material. Due to the inherent separation mechanism, as the mass moves down-slope, more and more solid particles are transported to the front and the sides, resulting in solid-rich and mechanically strong frontal surge head, and lateral levees followed by a weaker tail largely consisting of viscous fluid. The primary frontal solid-rich surge head followed by secondary fluid-rich surges is the consequence of phase separation. Such typical and dominant phase separation phenomena are revealed for two-phase debris flow simulations. Finally, changes in flow composition, that are explicitly considered by the new modelling approach, result in significant changes of impact pressure estimates. These are highly important in hazard assessment and mitigation planning and highlight the application potential of the new approach.

Shedding dynamics and mass exchange by dry granular waves flowing over erodible beds

A continuous exchange of particles between an erodible substrate and the granular flow above it occurs during almost all geophysical events involving granular material, such as snow avalanches, debris flows and pyroclastic flows. The balance between eroded and deposited material can drastically influence the runout distance and duration of the flow. In certain conditions, a perfect balance between erosion and deposition may occur, leading to the steady propagation of material, in which the flow maintains its shape and velocity throughout. It is shown experimentally how the erosion-deposition process in dense flows of sand (160-200 μm) on an erodible bed of the same material produces steadily propagating avalanches that deposit subtle levees at their lateral extent. Moreover, it is shown in this paper, by using two colours of the same sand, that although the avalanche is propagating at constant velocity and maintaining a constant shape, the grains that are initially released are deposited along the flow path and that the avalanche will eventually be composed entirely of particles that are eroded from the bed. Different steady travelling wave regimes are obtained depending on the slope angle, thickness of the erodible layer and the amount of material released. Outside of the range of parameters where steady travelling waves form, the avalanches loose mass and decay if the initial amount of material released is too small, or, if the initial release is too large, they re-adjust to a steadily propagating regime by shedding material and breaking into smaller avalanches at its rear side. Numerical simulations are performed using a shallow-water-like avalanche model together with a friction law that captures the erosion-deposition process in flowing to static regimes and a transport equation for the interface between layers of the two colours. The characteristic behaviours observed in the experiments are qualitatively reproduced. Specifically, the complex processes such as the exchange of particles leading to a change in colour of the avalanche and the formation of lateral levees are captured by the model. Finally a comparison is made with deposits in lunar craters, which are interpreted as closely analogous to the deposits formed in our laboratory experiments.

Flood risk (d)evolution: Disentangling key drivers of flood risk change with a retro-model experiment

Flood risks are dynamically changing over time. Over decades and centuries, the main drivers for flood risk change are influenced either by perturbations or slow alterations in the natural environment or, more importantly, by socio-economic development and human interventions. However, changes in the natural and human environment are intertwined. Thus, the analysis of the main drivers for flood risk changes requires a disentangling of the individual risk components. Here, we present a method for isolating the individual effects of selected drivers of change and selected flood risk management options based on a model experiment. In contrast to purely synthetic model experiments, we built our analyses upon a retro-model consisting of several spatio-temporal stages of river morphology and settlement structure. The main advantage of this approach is that the overall long-term dynamics are known and do not have to be assumed. We used this model setup to analyse the temporal evolution of the flood risk, for an ex-post evaluation of the key drivers of change, and for analysing possible alternative pathways for flood risk evolution under different governance settings. We showed that in the study region the construction of lateral levees and the consecutive river incision are the main drivers for decreasing flood risks over the last century. A rebound effect in flood risk can be observed following an increase in settlements since the 1960s. This effect is not as relevant as the river engineering measures, but it will become increasingly relevant in the future with continued socio-economic growth. The presented approach could provide a methodological framework for studying pathways for future flood risk evolvement and for the formulation of narratives for adapting governmental flood risk strategies to the spatio-temporal dynamics in the built environment.

Not all breaks are equal: Variable hydrologic and geomorphic responses to intentional levee breaches along the lower Cosumnes River, California

AbstractThe transport of water and sediment from rivers to adjacent floodplains helps generate complex floodplain, wetland, and riparian ecosystems. However, riverside levees restrict lateral connectivity of water and sediment during flood pulses, making the re‐introduction of floodplain hydrogeomorphic processes through intentional levee breaching and removal an emerging floodplain restoration practice. Repeated topographic observations from levee breach sites along the lower Cosumnes River (USA) indicated that breach architecture influences floodplain and channel hydrogeomorphic processes. Where narrow breaches (<75 m) open onto graded floodplains, archetypal crevasse splays developed along a single dominant flowpath, with floodplain erosion in near‐bank areas and lobate splay deposition in distal floodplain regions. Narrow breaches opening into excavated floodplain channels promoted both transverse advection and turbulent diffusion of sediment into the floodplain channel, facilitating near‐bank deposition and potential breach closure. Wide breaches (>250 m) enabled multiple modes of water and sediment transport onto graded floodplains. Advective sediment transport along multiple flow paths generated overlapping crevasse splays, while turbulent diffusion promoted the formation of lateral levees through large wood and sediment accumulation in near‐bank areas. Channel incision (>2 m) upstream from a wide levee breach suggests that large flow diversions through such breaches can generate water surface drawdown during flooding, resulting in localized flow acceleration and upstream channel incision. Understanding variable hydrogeomorphic responses to levee breach architecture will help restoration managers design breaches that maximize desired floodplain topographic change while also minimizing potential undesirable consequences such as levee breach closure or channel incision.

Effects of pore pressure in pyroclastic flows: Numerical simulation and experimental validation

AbstractPyroclastic flows are mixtures of volcanic gases and particles that can be very hazardous owing to their fluid‐like behavior. One possible mechanism to explain this behavior is the reduction of particles friction due to the internal gas pore pressure. To verify this hypothesis, we present a numerical model of a granular flow with high initial pore pressure that decreases with time as the gas‐particle mixture propagates. First, we validate the model by reproducing laboratory experiments. Then, the numerical code is applied to pyroclastic flows of Lascar volcano (1993 eruption, Chile). The simulation reproduces the runout and the morphological features of the deposits, with lateral levées, a central channel, and a lobate front. Our results support the hypothesis of the role of gas pore pressure in pyroclastic flows and explain both the fluid‐like behavior of the flows and the formation of lateral levees.

Segregation-induced finger formation in granular free-surface flows

Geophysical granular flows, such as landslides, pyroclastic flows and snow avalanches, consist of particles with varying surface roughnesses or shapes that have a tendency to segregate during flow due to size differences. Such segregation leads to the formation of regions with different frictional properties, which in turn can feed back on the bulk flow. This paper introduces a well-posed depth-averaged model for these segregation-mobility feedback effects. The full segregation equation for dense granular flows is integrated through the avalanche thickness by assuming inversely graded layers with large particles above fines, and a Bagnold shear profile. The resulting large particle transport equation is then coupled to depth-averaged equations for conservation of mass and momentum, with the feedback arising through a basal friction law that is composition dependent, implying greater friction where there are more large particles. The new system of equations includes viscous terms in the momentum balance, which are derived from the $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}(I)$-rheology for dense granular flows and represent a singular perturbation to previous models. Linear stability calculations of the steady uniform base state demonstrate the significance of these higher-order terms, which ensure that, unlike the inviscid equations, the growth rates remain bounded everywhere. The new system is therefore mathematically well posed. Two-dimensional simulations of bidisperse material propagating down an inclined plane show the development of an unstable large-rich flow front, which subsequently breaks into a series of finger-like structures, each bounded by coarse-grained lateral levees. The key properties of the fingers are independent of the grid resolution and are controlled by the physical viscosity. This process of segregation-induced finger formation is observed in laboratory experiments, and numerical computations are in qualitative agreement.

Asymmetric breaking size-segregation waves in dense granular free-surface flows

Debris and pyroclastic flows often have bouldery flow fronts, which act as a natural dam resisting further advance. Counter intuitively, these resistive fronts can lead to enhanced run-out, because they can be shouldered aside to form static levees that self-channelise the flow. At the heart of this behaviour is the inherent process of size segregation, with different sized particles readily separating into distinct vertical layers through a combination of kinetic sieving and squeeze expulsion. The result is an upward coarsening of the size distribution with the largest grains collecting at the top of the flow, where the flow velocity is greatest, allowing them to be preferentially transported to the front. Here, the large grains may be overrun, resegregated towards the surface and recirculated before being shouldered aside into lateral levees. A key element of this recirculation mechanism is the formation of a breaking size-segregation wave, which allows large particles that have been overrun to rise up into the faster moving parts of the flow as small particles are sheared over the top. Observations from experiments and discrete particle simulations in a moving-bed flume indicate that, whilst most large particles recirculate quickly at the front, a few recirculate very slowly through regions of many small particles at the rear. This behaviour is modelled in this paper using asymmetric segregation flux functions. Exact non-diffuse solutions are derived for the steady wave structure using the method of characteristics with a cubic segregation flux. Three different structures emerge, dependent on the degree of asymmetry and the non-convexity of the segregation flux function. In particular, a novel ‘lens-tail’ solution is found for segregation fluxes that have a large amount of non-convexity, with an additional expansion fan and compression wave forming a ‘tail’ upstream of the ‘lens’ region. Analysis of exact solutions for the particle motion shows that the large particle motion through the ‘lens-tail’ is fundamentally different to the classical ‘lens’ solutions. A few large particles starting near the bottom of the breaking wave pass through the ‘tail’, where they travel in a region of many small particles with a very small vertical velocity, and take significantly longer to recirculate.

STAV VÝZKUMU BLOKOVOBAHENNÍCH PROUDŮ NA ZÁPADNÍCH SVAZÍCH KEPRNICKÉ HORNATINY (HRUBÝ JESENÍK)

The debris flows are fast dangerous processes initiated also in mid-mountains of the Czech Republic, frequently damaging forest stands. An occurrence of debris flows in the Hrubý Jeseník Mts. is connected with steep slopes and high-gradient channels predisposed by landuse, morphometric, lithological and especially climatic conditions. The first stage of research was implemented in the Klepáčský brook drainage basin. In 2013, a field geomorphological mapping and sampling of disturbed trees for dendrogeomorphic research (tree ring analysis) were carried out. There are preserved several remnants of former debris flows. The oldest accumulations in a form of terraces above the channel bottom, younger but stable and overgrown lateral levees and recent fresh frontal lobes directly in the channel were distinguished. At least 9 debris flow events in the last 60 years were dated in the Klepáčský brook from the tree ring analysis; the year 2010 was the last known and the most represented period in the tree ring series. Spatial dimensions, magnitudes of debris flows and places of their origin has been changed during the last decades so we could analyze their different behaviour patterns (e. g. 1991, 1997 and 2010), recorded in disturbed trees along the brook. The research will be extended to other basins in the Keprnická hornatina Mts., focusing on factors of debris flow predisposition and chronology with an application of dendrogeomorphic methods being actually the most accurate approach for dating of events in far-flung tree-covered basins.

Segregation-induced fingering instabilities in granular free-surface flows

AbstractParticle-size segregation can have a significant feedback on the bulk motion of granular avalanches when the larger grains experience greater resistance to motion than the fine grains. When such segregation-mobility feedback effects occur the flow may form digitate lobate fingers or spontaneously self-channelize to form lateral levees that enhance run-out distance. This is particularly important in geophysical mass flows, such as pyroclastic currents, snow avalanches and debris flows, where run-out distance is of crucial importance in hazards assessment. A model for finger formation in a bidisperse granular avalanche is developed by coupling a depth-averaged description of the preferential transport of large particles towards the front with an established avalanche model. The coupling is achieved through a concentration-dependent friction coefficient, which results in a system of non-strictly hyperbolic equations. We compute numerical solutions to the flow of a bidisperse mixture of small mobile particles and larger more resistive grains down an inclined chute. The numerical results demonstrate that our model is able to describe the formation of a front rich in large particles, the instability of this front and the subsequent evolution of elongated fingers bounded by large-rich lateral levees, as observed in small-scale laboratory experiments. However, our numerical results are grid dependent, with the number of fingers increasing as the numerical resolution is increased. We investigate this pathology by examining the linear stability of a steady uniform flow, which shows that arbitrarily small wavelength perturbations grow exponentially quickly. Furthermore, we find that on a curve in parameter space the growth rate is unbounded above as the wavelength of perturbations is decreased and so the system of equations on this curve is ill-posed. This indicates that the model captures the physical mechanisms that drive the instability, but additional dissipation mechanisms, such as those considered in the realm of flow rheology, are required to set the length scale of the fingers that develop.

LiDAR derived morphology of the 1993 Lascar pyroclastic flow deposits, and implication for flow dynamics and rheology

Abstract Pumice flows are potentially destructive volcanic events that derive from eruption column collapse and whose dynamics are poorly understood. The challenges in studying these flows include the lack of constraints on the dynamics, kinematics and initial conditions that control their emplacement. We present a morphological study of the distal deposits (lobes) of the pumice flows resulting from the 1993 eruption at Lascar, Chile. The surface geometry of the lobes was measured in detail using a LiDAR device, which allowed for detailed characterisation of their morphology, consisting of central channel and lateral levees, and terminal frontal snout. In particular we find that the ratio of channel/levee height as a function of the ratio of the distance between levees/total width of the lobe has a characteristic curve for these pumice flow lobes. Our analysis of several of the Lascar pumice lobe deposits (south east sector) identified several dimensionless groups of the available parameters which, when compared against published results from both experimental and numerical investigations, allowed us to constrain crucial kinematic and dynamic information on the terminal phase of the pumice flows. Notably, we estimate the velocity of the terminal phase of pumice flows to be 5–10 m/s. Froude numbers of 1.5–2 are comparable with values found for experimental granular flows. Height–width aspect ratios for the levee–channel section of the pumice lobes are similar to those for experimental flows although these same aspect ratios for the snout are much larger for the natural deposits than their small-scale analogues. Finally, we discuss the possible emplacement dynamics of the terminal Lascar 1993 pumice flows. A pseudo-Reynolds number based on the velocity estimation is found to be up to 100 times larger for the pumice flows than experimental-scale flows. This suggests that the flow-retarding frictional forces for large-scale flows are relatively unimportant compared to flows at smaller scales. Mechanical effects such as fluidisation, mobilisation of material lying on the slopes over which they propagate and lubrication due to polydispersivity could provide an explanation for their ability to propagate on shallow slopes (6–11°).

Grain‐size segregation and levee formation in geophysical mass flows

Data from large‐scale debris‐flow experiments are combined with modeling of particle‐size segregation to explain the formation of lateral levees enriched in coarse grains. The experimental flows consisted of 10 m3 of water‐saturated sand and gravel, which traveled ∼80 m down a steeply inclined flume before forming an elongated leveed deposit 10 m long on a nearly horizontal runout surface. We measured the surface velocity field and observed the sequence of deposition by seeding tracers onto the flow surface and tracking them in video footage. Levees formed by progressive downslope accretion approximately 3.5 m behind the flow front, which advanced steadily at ∼2 m s−1 during most of the runout. Segregation was measured by placing ∼600 coarse tracer pebbles on the bed, which, when entrained into the flow, segregated upwards at ∼6–7.5 cm s−1. When excavated from the deposit these were distributed in a horseshoe‐shaped pattern that became increasingly elevated closer to the deposit termination. Although there was clear evidence for inverse grading during the flow, transect sampling revealed that the resulting leveed deposit was strongly graded laterally, with only weak vertical grading. We construct an empirical, three‐dimensional velocity field resembling the experimental observations, and use this with a particle‐size segregation model to predict the segregation and transport of material through the flow. We infer that coarse material segregates to the flow surface and is transported to the flow front by shear. Within the flow head, coarse material is overridden, then recirculates in spiral trajectories due to size‐segregation, before being advected to the flow edges and deposited to form coarse‐particle‐enriched levees.

Mudflow transport behavior and deposit morphology: Role of shear stress to yield strength ratio in subaqueous experiments

The ratio of the shear stress to yield strength, defined here as the flow factor, controls a wide spectrum of mass transport processes (slow, retrogressive failure to rapid, liquefied flows) and deposit morphologies (highly fractured and hummocky to thin and smooth) in subaqueous dam-break experiments. We control pre-failure flow factor in sediment–water slurries by systematically varying water content and silt:clay fraction. We document (1) the style and rate of sediment transport, and (2) the morphology of the entire deposit (source area to down-dip extent) for low, medium, and high flow factor slurries. A high flow factor (shear stress≫yield strength) generates a rapid collapse of the source area with an accelerating, long run-out flow and a prominent turbidity current. These flows remove approximately 70% of the original source area volume within 10s from flow initiation. These flows leave behind a thin and smooth source area and deposit as a single mass that is thin, long and wide. In contrast, a medium flow factor (shear strength>yield strength) generates a slow retrogressive failure, in which individual fault blocks evacuate the source area and accumulate gradually over time into a deposit. These flows leave behind a blocky, highly fractured source area and construct short and thick deposits with a hummocky surface. Lateral levees (characteristic of these flows) focus material down-dip while inhibiting lateral spreading, thus producing an elongated deposit. When flow factor is low, approaching unity (shear stress≈yield strength), only a narrow zone of failure occurs and a short and thick deposit is constructed. Our experiments display characteristics similar to natural field examples of submarine failures. Our experiments suggest that a detailed analysis of deposit surface morphology from geophysical or outcrop observations can yield important clues to the flow history. In turn, this has practical implications for hazards assessments and predictions in which it is important to consider how possible future failures may behave.

Suitability of simple rheological laws for the numerical simulation of dense pyroclastic flows and long-runout volcanic avalanches

[1] The rheology of volcanic rock avalanches and dense pyroclastic flows is complex, and it is difficult at present to constrain the physics of their processes. The problem lies in defining the most suitable parameters for simulating the behavior of these natural flows. Existing models are often based on the Coulomb rheology, sometimes with a velocity-dependent stress (e.g., Voellmy), but other laws have also been used. Here I explore the characteristics of flows, and their deposits, obtained on simplified topographies by varying source conditions and rheology. The Coulomb rheology, irrespective of whether there is a velocity-dependent stress, forms cone-shaped deposits that do not resemble those of natural long-runout events. A purely viscous or a purely turbulent flow can achieve realistic velocities and thicknesses but cannot form a deposit on slopes. The plastic rheology, with (e.g., Bingham) or without a velocity-dependent stress, is more suitable for the simulation of dense pyroclastic flows and long-runout volcanic avalanches. With this rheology, numerical flows form by pulses, which are often observed during natural flow emplacement. The flows exhibit realistic velocities and deposits of realistic thicknesses. The plastic rheology is also able to generate the frontal lobes and lateral levees which are commonly observed in the field. With the plastic rheology, levee formation occurs at the flow front due to a divergence of the driving stresses at the edges. Once formed, the levees then channel the remaining flow mass. The results should help future modelers of volcanic flows with their choice of which mechanical law corresponds best to the event they are studying.