Debris flows in the Lushan earthquake area: formation characteristics, rainfall conditions, and evolutionary tendency

Xiaojun Guo (), Xingchang Chen (), Guohu Song, Jianqi Zhuang and Jianglin Fan
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Xiaojun Guo: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xingchang Chen: Southwest University of Science and Technology
Guohu Song: Sichuan Institute of Geological Engineering Investigation Group Co. LTD
Jianqi Zhuang: Changan University
Jianglin Fan: Sichuan Provincial Meteorological Observatory

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2021, vol. 106, issue 3, No 39, 2663-2687

Abstract: Abstract Debris flows often occur in the mountainous watersheds of earthquake-affected areas, and in the Lushan earthquake area of southwestern China, they have become a significant hazard. In this study, the influencing factors and spatial distribution of debris flows were analyzed through a review of their occurrence history. Debris flows are mainly distributed in the northwestern part of the study area, which hosts the greatest density of active faults. The debris flows are generally formed by the ‘progressive bulking’ effect in channels, and deep incision, lateral erosion, and blockage breaking are common processes that amplify the magnitude of such debris flows. Rainfall thresholds for different types of debris flow were proposed to explain the spatial differences between debris-flow regions, and the temporal variations of those thresholds highlighted how the rainfall conditions required for the occurrence of debris flows have changed. Natural vegetation recovery, reduction in the availability of solid material, and artificial debris-flow control projects play important roles in raising the threshold of the rainfall conditions required for triggering debris flows.

Keywords: Debris flows; Formation mechanism; Rainfall thresholds; Spatial distribution; Lushan earthquake (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-021-04559-2

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