Engineering and Technological Sciences

Title: Postprint on the Disintegration and Fragmentation Effects of Rock Avalanche Debris Flows Based on Large-Scale Physical Model Experiments
Authors: Chen Feiyu, He Xurong, Huo Zihao, Zhang Shilin, Yang Chaoping
Cite as: ChinaXiv: chinaxiv-202509.00018
Subjects:
Engineering and Technological Sciences, Engineering Geology

Abstract

Disintegration and fragmentation effects are universally present in the movement process of high-position rock landslides, which can transform the state of landslide material and its motion, thereby influencing the energy distribution and dynamic transfer characteristics of the landslide. To investigate the disintegration and fragmentation characteristics and energy dissipation patterns of high-position rock landslide debris flows, and to reveal their dynamic transfer mechanisms, large-scale physical model tests were employed, focusing on the influence of factors such as the strength, volume, thickness, joint development degree, and slope gradient of the source block on rock mass disintegration and fragmentation.

The results indicate that during the dynamic transfer process of high-position rock landslide debris flows, the velocity loss at the front is significantly less than that at the rear, with the front edge exhibiting a notable "secondary acceleration," and a large number of fine particles accumulate at the distal end. There is a significant velocity and dynamic transfer effect from the rear to the front of the landslide body, and the higher the degree of fragmentation, the more pronounced the dynamic transfer effect. The disintegration and fragmentation process is accompanied by the transformation, transfer, and loss of energy, and under the control of the fragmentation degree, the energy dissipated by fragmentation accounts for approximately 3.32% to 21.03% of the total potential energy.

Full Text

Postprint on the Disintegration and Fragmentation Effects of Rock Avalanche Debris Flows Based on Large-Scale Physical Model Experiments

Disintegration and Fragmentation Effect of High Position Rock Landslide Debris Flow Based on Large Scale Physical Model Test

Chen Fei-yu², He Xu-rong², Huo Zi-hao¹, Zhang Shi-lin², Yang Chao-ping¹

¹ China Institute of Geological Environment Monitoring, Technical Guidance Center for Geological Hazard Prevention of Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100081, China

² School of Geoscience and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan

(1. China Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Beijing 100081, China; 2. Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University)

University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China

Abstract

Disintegration and fragmentation effects are ubiquitous in the movement process of high-position rock landslides, which can transform the material state and motion state of the landslide, thereby influencing its energy distribution and dynamic transfer characteristics. To investigate the disintegration and fragmentation characteristics and energy dissipation patterns of high-position rock avalanche debris flows, and to reveal their dynamic transfer mechanisms, large-scale physical model tests were employed, focusing on the influence of factors such as block strength, volume, thickness, joint development degree, and slope gradient of the source area on rock mass disintegration and fragmentation.

The results indicate that during the dynamic transfer process of high-position rock avalanche debris flows, the velocity loss at the front is significantly less than that at the rear; the front edge exhibits distinct "secondary acceleration," with a large number of fine particles accumulating at the distal end. There is a significant velocity and dynamic transfer effect from the rear to the front of the landslide mass, and the higher the degree of fragmentation, the more pronounced the dynamic transfer effect. The disintegration and fragmentation process is accompanied by the transformation, transfer, and loss of energy; under the control of the fragmentation degree, the energy dissipation due to fragmentation accounts for approximately 3.32% to 21.03% of the total potential energy.

Keywords

high-level rock landslide debris flow; large-scale physical model test; dynamic transmission; disintegration and fragmentation; energy dissipation; engineering geology

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This version posted 2025-09-02.

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