Back Analysis of a Real Debris Flow, the Morino-Rendinara Test Case (Italy), Using RAMMS Software

Antonio Pasculli, Claudia Zito, Nicola Sciarra () and Massimo Mangifesta
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Antonio Pasculli: Department of Engineering and Geology, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Claudia Zito: Department of Engineering and Geology, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Nicola Sciarra: Department of Science, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Massimo Mangifesta: Department of Science, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-27

Abstract: Debris flows are a dynamic and hazardous geological phenomenon, as by definition, debris flows are rapid, gravity-driven flows of saturated materials that often contain a mixture of water, rock, soil, and organic matter. They are highly destructive and occur in steep channels, posing a significant threat to infrastructure and human life. The dynamics of debris flows are complex due to their non-Newtonian behaviour and varying sediment–water interactions, making accurate modelling essential for risk mitigation and emergency planning. This paper reports and discusses the results of numerical simulations of back analyses aimed at studying the reconstruction of a real rapid debris flow. The selected test case is the event that occurred on 12 and 16 March 2021 along the Rio Sonno channel, a tributary of the Liri River, following the landslide event of Rendinara (Municipality of Morino, Abruzzo Region, Italy). There are significant flow sources in the area, fed by a highly fractured carbonaceous aquifer that extends immediately upslope of the detachment zone. The continuous flow influences the saturation level in the fine-grained sediments and favours the triggering of the debris flow. This phenomenon was simulated using the commercial RAMMS code, and the rheological model selected was “Voellmy fluid friction”. The modelling approaches used in this research are valid tools to estimate the volumes of materials involved in the flow-feeding process and for the purpose of possible mitigation works (debris flow-type dams, weirs, flow diversion, etc.).

Keywords: rapid debris flow; numerical simulations; FEM; rheological models; RAMMS software (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:12:p:2078-:d:1535629

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