Grain-Size Analysis of Debris Flow Alluvial Fans in Panxi Area along Jinsha River, China

Wen Zhang, Qing Wang, Jianping Chen, Huizhong Li, Jinsheng Que and Yuanyuan Kong
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Wen Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
Qing Wang: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Jianping Chen: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Huizhong Li: Institute of the Yangzi Gorges Exploration & Research, Commission of Water Conservancy of the Yangzi River, Wuhan 430000, China
Jinsheng Que: LTD. of China Power Engineering Consulting Group, North China Power Engineering CO., Beijing 100000, China
Yuanyuan Kong: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 11, 1-24

Abstract: The basic geometric parameters of 236 debris flow catchments were determined by interpreting SPOT5 remote sensing images with a resolution of 2.5 m in a 209 km section along the Jinsha River in the Panxi area, China. A total of 27 large-scale debris flow catchments were selected for detailed in situ investigation. Samples were taken from two profiles in the deposition zone for each debris flow catchment. The φ value gradation method of the grain size was used to obtain 54 histograms with abscissa in a logarithmic scale. Five types of debris flows were summarized from the outline of the histogram. Four grain size parameters were calculated: mean grain size, standard deviation, coefficient of skewness, and coefficient of kurtosis. These four values were used to evaluate the features of the histogram. The grain index that reflects the transport (kinetic) energy information of debris flows was defined to describe the characteristics of the debris-flow materials. Furthermore, a normalized grain index based on the catchment area was proposed to allow evaluation of the debris flow mobility. The characteristics of the debris-flow materials were well-described by the histogram of grain-size distribution and the normalized grain index.

Keywords: debris flow; grain size distribution; debris flow material; catchment area (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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