Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, Japan

Debris flows usually occur in steep mountain channels and can be extremely hazardous as a result of their destructive power, long travel distance, and high velocity. However, their characteristics in the initiation zones, which could possibly be affected by temporal changes in the accumulation co...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: F. Imaizumi, Y. S. Hayakawa, N. Hotta, H. Tsunetaka, O. Ohsaka, S. Tsuchiya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2017-11-01
Series:Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
Online Access:https://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/17/1923/2017/nhess-17-1923-2017.pdf
_version_ 1811240021907210240
author F. Imaizumi
Y. S. Hayakawa
N. Hotta
H. Tsunetaka
O. Ohsaka
S. Tsuchiya
author_facet F. Imaizumi
Y. S. Hayakawa
N. Hotta
H. Tsunetaka
O. Ohsaka
S. Tsuchiya
author_sort F. Imaizumi
collection DOAJ
description Debris flows usually occur in steep mountain channels and can be extremely hazardous as a result of their destructive power, long travel distance, and high velocity. However, their characteristics in the initiation zones, which could possibly be affected by temporal changes in the accumulation conditions of the storage (i.e., channel gradient and volume of storage) associated with sediment supply from hillslopes and the evacuation of sediment by debris flows, are poorly understood. Thus, we studied the relationship between the flow characteristics and the accumulation conditions of the storage in an initiation zone of debris flow at the Ohya landslide body in Japan using a variety of methods, including a physical analysis, a periodical terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) survey, and field monitoring. Our study clarified that both partly and fully saturated debris flows are important hydrogeomorphic processes in the initiation zones of debris flow because of the steep terrain. The predominant type of flow varied temporally and was affected by the volume of storage and rainfall patterns. Fully saturated flow dominated when the total volume of storage was  &lt;  10 000 m<sup>3</sup>, while partly saturated flow dominated when the total volume of the storage was  &gt;  15 000 m<sup>3</sup>. Debris flows form channel topography which reflects the predominant flow types during debris-flow events. Partly saturated debris flow tended to form steeper channel sections (22.2–37.3°), while fully saturated debris flow tended to form gentler channel sections ( &lt;  22.2°). Such relationship between the flow type and the channel gradient could be explained by a simple analysis of the static force at the bottom of the sediment mass.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T13:11:54Z
format Article
id doaj.art-85e13850414f4ea7a7f784c0c4df93d4
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1561-8633
1684-9981
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T13:11:54Z
publishDate 2017-11-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
spelling doaj.art-85e13850414f4ea7a7f784c0c4df93d42022-12-22T03:31:49ZengCopernicus PublicationsNatural Hazards and Earth System Sciences1561-86331684-99812017-11-01171923193810.5194/nhess-17-1923-2017Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, JapanF. Imaizumi0Y. S. Hayakawa1N. Hotta2H. Tsunetaka3O. Ohsaka4S. Tsuchiya5Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, 422-8529, JapanCenter for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-0871, JapanGraduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, JapanGraduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8572, JapanFaculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, 422-8529, JapanFaculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, 422-8529, JapanDebris flows usually occur in steep mountain channels and can be extremely hazardous as a result of their destructive power, long travel distance, and high velocity. However, their characteristics in the initiation zones, which could possibly be affected by temporal changes in the accumulation conditions of the storage (i.e., channel gradient and volume of storage) associated with sediment supply from hillslopes and the evacuation of sediment by debris flows, are poorly understood. Thus, we studied the relationship between the flow characteristics and the accumulation conditions of the storage in an initiation zone of debris flow at the Ohya landslide body in Japan using a variety of methods, including a physical analysis, a periodical terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) survey, and field monitoring. Our study clarified that both partly and fully saturated debris flows are important hydrogeomorphic processes in the initiation zones of debris flow because of the steep terrain. The predominant type of flow varied temporally and was affected by the volume of storage and rainfall patterns. Fully saturated flow dominated when the total volume of storage was  &lt;  10 000 m<sup>3</sup>, while partly saturated flow dominated when the total volume of the storage was  &gt;  15 000 m<sup>3</sup>. Debris flows form channel topography which reflects the predominant flow types during debris-flow events. Partly saturated debris flow tended to form steeper channel sections (22.2–37.3°), while fully saturated debris flow tended to form gentler channel sections ( &lt;  22.2°). Such relationship between the flow type and the channel gradient could be explained by a simple analysis of the static force at the bottom of the sediment mass.https://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/17/1923/2017/nhess-17-1923-2017.pdf
spellingShingle F. Imaizumi
Y. S. Hayakawa
N. Hotta
H. Tsunetaka
O. Ohsaka
S. Tsuchiya
Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, Japan
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
title Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, Japan
title_full Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, Japan
title_fullStr Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, Japan
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, Japan
title_short Relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris-flow characteristics in a debris-flow initiation zone, Ohya landslide body, Japan
title_sort relationship between the accumulation of sediment storage and debris flow characteristics in a debris flow initiation zone ohya landslide body japan
url https://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/17/1923/2017/nhess-17-1923-2017.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT fimaizumi relationshipbetweentheaccumulationofsedimentstorageanddebrisflowcharacteristicsinadebrisflowinitiationzoneohyalandslidebodyjapan
AT yshayakawa relationshipbetweentheaccumulationofsedimentstorageanddebrisflowcharacteristicsinadebrisflowinitiationzoneohyalandslidebodyjapan
AT nhotta relationshipbetweentheaccumulationofsedimentstorageanddebrisflowcharacteristicsinadebrisflowinitiationzoneohyalandslidebodyjapan
AT htsunetaka relationshipbetweentheaccumulationofsedimentstorageanddebrisflowcharacteristicsinadebrisflowinitiationzoneohyalandslidebodyjapan
AT oohsaka relationshipbetweentheaccumulationofsedimentstorageanddebrisflowcharacteristicsinadebrisflowinitiationzoneohyalandslidebodyjapan
AT stsuchiya relationshipbetweentheaccumulationofsedimentstorageanddebrisflowcharacteristicsinadebrisflowinitiationzoneohyalandslidebodyjapan