Debris flows are an increasing global hazard. However, despite separate advances in the geotechnical engineering, fluid mechanics, granular physics, and earth sciences communities a holistic understanding of the mechanics of these complex flows remains elusive. The “Rosetta Stone” international debris flow experimental network (2017-2020) was established to address these shortcomings. The project aims to conduct physical tests with common material characteristics, informed by monitored field events, that will lead to improved numerical models to enhance societal safety. Advantage is taken of the carefully developed field monitoring and / or experimental apparatuses available at five institutes – these involve the Illgraben debris flow field monitoring site in Switzerland, a large scale indoor flume for experiments up to a cubic metre, two small scale flumes, including one designed for transparent soil for internal flow investigations, a large vertical rotating drum for steady flows and transitions, and a wide rotating drum for unconfined flows and roll wave development. Tests are being conducted using identical materials on particle sizes distributions that range from fully monodisperse (single sized particles) to well graded. Results are being shared and interpreted according to the different paradigms adopted within each network discipline (namely, geotechnics, geophysics, geology, fluid mechanics, and granular physics). Final results will be communicated via an open-access repository in order to enable better prediction of debris flow behaviour by improved validation and calibration of numerical models. This paper focuses on the initial set up and arrangement of the network and preliminary results in terms of velocity profiles for the monodisperse case.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)