Please note that this session was withdrawn and is no longer available in the respective programme. This withdrawal might have been the result of a merge with another session.
NH3.10 | Dynamics of geophysical mass flows: from numerical hydro-mechanical modelling to risk assessment
EDI
Dynamics of geophysical mass flows: from numerical hydro-mechanical modelling to risk assessment
Co-conveners: Johan Gaume, Brian McArdell, Vikas Thakur
Landslides, debris flows and avalanches are common types of unsteady bulk mass movements. Globally, the risk from these mass movements is expected to increase, due to changes in precipitation patterns, rising average temperatures and continued urbanisation of mountainous regions. Climate change also reduces the power of empirically-based predictions, requiring updated approaches for effective and robust management of the associated risk.

Accurate and scalable hydro-mechanical modelling of mass movements is a promising way of approaching hazard mitigation and management for any given climatic conditions. Such modelling can provide insight into the physical processes, support experimental and field investigation, aid in the design of countermeasures, and guide hazard assessment. This type of modelling is also ideal for capturing cascading phenomena where, for instance, rock and/or ice avalanches can transition downstream into debris flows, in addition to back-analysing historical events. This session focuses on advances in numerical models and digital tools for geophysical mass flows, and their integration into the wider context of risk assessment and mitigation.

Examples of welcome topics are:

(a) Novel constitutive and numerical modelling of the mechanisms involved for soil, debris, and snow undergoing large deformations (e.g. mechanisms contributing to high mobility of flows).
(b) Numerical simulation of mass movements and cascading processes, both at the field- and laboratory-scales, either coupled or uncoupled;
(c) Interaction of mass movements with structural countermeasures, and optimization of mitigation techniques;
(d) Back-analysis of relevant case studies, hazard mapping, and risk assessment;
(e) Advances in risk analysis through the integration of digital technologies and multidisciplinary viewpoints;

Submissions on closely related topics such as torrent control, monitoring, remote sensing, surrogate models, machine learning related to mechanical processes and risk management, are also welcome.