1309 Numerical Simulation of Landslides and Debris Flows

Massimiliano Cremonesi, Politecnico di Milano
Alessandro Franci, International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE)
 
Landslides and debris flows are ones of the most dangerous natural hazards. Each year they are responsible of thousands of casualties and billions of dollars in damage worldwide. The current forecasting methods are still far from being effective. In this scenario, numerical methods can be extremely useful for improving the present prediction capabilities for landslides and debris flows events.

In the modern literature, the study of landslides problems has been addressed in two distinct phases: the triggering and the propagation. For the initiation phase, the soil structure problem has been numerical solved to analyze localized and diffuse failure mechanisms. Finite element, finite difference and finite volume have usually been privileged, but recently also meshless techniques have been successfully used. Propagation phase is generally treated in the framework of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) using different rheological laws. Both mesh-based and meshless methods have been used to describe this phase. Very recently, also models considering triggering and propagation together have been proposed.

This Minisymposium purpose is to present and discuss the last advances in the numerical simulation of landslides and debris flows. The event aims to bring together experts in the field to feed the debate on this urgent topic.

No restriction is imposed to the computing framework (Lagrangian, Eulerian or others), neither to the numerical method (Finite Element Method (FEM), Discrete Element Method (DEM), Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM), Material Point Method (MPM), Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) or Lattice Boltzmann, just to cite few of them), nor to constitutive law used.

The analysis of real landslides events is particularly encouraged. Similarly, the numerical simulation of ad-hoc created laboratory tests is also appreciated.

Contributions in the framework of the FSI techniques able to account for the interaction between landslides flows and civil structures are also welcome.

Key words: Landslides, Debris Flows, Computational fluid and solid mechanics