Patent Grant
12157981
The present invention belongs to the fields of disaster prevention and mitigation, geotechnical and structural engineering design, and railway and highway engineering and specifically relates to a method for preventing and controlling super large-scale floods and debris flows.
Floods and debris flows are catastrophic geological disasters in mountainous communities. Specifically, super large-scale glacial debris flows and glacial lake outburst floods pose severe threats to highways, railways, and oil pipelines in high-altitude areas. Under the background of climate change and the associated cryospheric response, catastrophic mass flows have experienced more favorable conditions for initiation and an increase in frequency. Therefore, standards for the construction of major projects and safe operations in high-altitude areas are increasing accordingly. Thus, the prevention and mitigation of mega-floods and catastrophic debris flows are becoming increasingly urgent.
In high-altitude areas such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, large-scale glacial lake outburst floods and debris flows caused by rapid melting of glaciers (with a total discharge volume of more than 100×104 m3 or a peak flow of more than 2000 m3/s) are common occurrences. Conventional prevention engineering works, such as check dams and drainage channels, are not effective in these conditions. For example, the 2010 Zhouqu debris flow in China, with a total volume of 180×104 m3 and a peak flow of 1830 m3/s, destroyed all the check dams in the gully and blocked the river. However, on Sep. 23, 1953, a massive glacial debris flow occurred in Guxiang gully, Tibet; the peak discharge was 2.86×104 m3/s, and the total amount of solid material discharged at one time reached 1100×104 m3. The magnitude of this debris flow was much larger than that of the Zhouqu debris flow. The Guxiang debris flow destroyed all prevention projects and blocked the river downstream. As such, floods and debris flows associated with glaciers are more difficult to prevent with general methods.
Therefore, under the background of climate warming, the occurrence probability of super large-scale floods and debris flows is increasing, and they are sudden, have a high flood peak discharge, and have strong destructiveness. Finding a method to prevent super large-scale floods and debris flows and a design method for key engineering in gullies is very urgent. It can not only effectively regulate the cascading outburst process of glacial-related floods and debris flows and dampen the strong scouring and blocking effect but also effectively protect downstream highways, railways and other major projects, which has significant practical significance and engineering application value.
This invention provides a method for preventing super large-scale glacial-related floods and debris flows and solves at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.
To achieve this purpose, a method for preventing super large-scale floods and debris flows is developed, which includes the following steps:
Step 1: We determine the planning and design standards of the preventative engineering system in the basin, as well as the design protection level and standards of the key project according to the protection standards of downstream objects. According to an investigation and measurements of historical disasters in the basin, we obtain the basin topography. Based on a field investigation of historical floods and debris flow traces or a hydrological calculation of a small watershed, the peak discharge or the total debris flow volume can be evaluated. The source materials of debris flows can also be estimated through a field investigation of the distribution of materials in the basin.
Step 2: When considering the potential super large-scale debris flows in the watershed, we can arrange artificial structures or artificial structure arrays to control the initial amount of source materials. These artificial structures not only protect the entrainment by flows but also increase the flow friction, which contributes to regulating energy dissipation.
Step 3: If a super large-scale flood/debris flow erupts in the basin under a certain design standard, a combination of engineering works, namely, a drainage channel, check dam, and retaining basin, should be used to regulate the flows.
Step 4: If a super large-scale flood/debris flow erupts in the basin under a certain design standard, field investigations and sampling tests are further used to determine the design and layout, as well as the location and quantity of key projects in the basin.
Key control dams should be installed after every 3-5 common check dams, and the storage capacity of the key control dam should be equal to or greater than the total storage capacity of its upstream common check dams. This ensures that the key control dam can retain the sediments that come from the upstream check dams when they break out.
Step 5: The key control dam can be divided into four regions, namely, region A, the foundation of the dam body; region B, the left shoulder of the dam; region C, the right shoulder of the dam; and region D, the discharge outlet and overtopping weir. The four regions are designed based on different protection standards, i.e., regions A, B, and C are designed with the same standard, and pile foundations can be used to reinforce the foundation. The design standard of region D is lower than that of the other three regions. Region D is allowed to break when encountering super large-scale floods and debris flows, while the other regions A, B, and C are not allowed to burst.
Preferably, artificial structures or artificial structure arrays can be arranged in the source area if there is a high possibility of super large-scale debris flows in the basin. These structures can be prefabricated and distributed evenly or unevenly in the source area.
Ideally, the geometric parameters (e.g., length, width, and height) of the critical control project are determined based on terrain investigation. The thickness of the project foundation and the accumulation layer on both banks can be obtained through site drilling tests and indoor laboratory experiments.
If possible, according to the design and protection standards of railways, highways, and other important facilities in the basin, the design and protection standards of the non-outburst damaged area of the key control project are required to be higher than those of the outburst area.
The same design standards adopted in regions A, B, and C are greater than or equal to the protection standards of railways, highways, and other important facilities. These regions are constructed with high-grade reinforced concrete.
Preferably, the design standards adopted in region D are lower than those in regions A, B, and C. The building materials of region D are constructed with reinforced concrete, steel cable nets, and flexible protective nets. In the case of super large-scale glacial-related floods and debris flows, region D is allowed to burst.
The depth of the pile foundation should be determined as follows: the effective length of the pile foundation (Hpile) is greater than or equal to the dam height (Hdam) and crosses through the depth of loose deposits (Hdeposits), Hpile>Max (Hdam, Hdeposits).
The potential failure areas of region D of the critical control dam should include the discharge hole. When the impact force/pressure on the dam exceeds the design standard (P>Pdesign) or the debris flow discharges (calculated according to the real-time monitoring data of floods and debris flows, Q=BHV) exceed the design discharges, region D may begin to fail.
Whether the anchorage forms of regions B and C are designed as anti-slide piles or prestressed anchorages is based on the thickness of the loose deposit layer (hdeposit layer) on the shoulders of the dam and the impact resistance requirements of the dam shoulders under the design standards. Moreover, the anchorage depth (hanchorage) is determined, which is larger than the depth (hanchorage>hdeposit layer).
Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of the presently proposed method for the prevention and control of super large-scale floods and debris flows are as follows: this method allows part of the key control dam to break under the condition of ensuring the safe operation of the entire system, thereby increasing the cross-sectional areas and the flow discharges. The unbroken foundation of the dam can effectively control the channel undercutting and regulate the cross-sectional velocity. These controls are helpful to minimize the threat and harm to downstream areas. At the same time, the key control dam can be quickly restored to its original form after the burst, thereby saving construction time and greatly reducing the maintenance cost of the project.
The embodiments of the invention are described in detail below, but the present invention can be implemented in a variety of different ways as defined and covered by the claims.
To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, we propose the present invention, i.e., a watershed method of control projects for mitigating super large-scale debris flows, as well as the design method and its application in check dams. This method can effectively regulate floods and debris flows while ensuring dam stability, as well as controlling the peak discharges and the scale of the flow. This method is also helpful for reducing the risk of scouring the channel or ditch bank and stabilizing the slope. If the scale of the flood or debris flow exceeds the design standard of the dam, part of the dam is allowed to break, while the dam foundation and the lateral walls remain stable. In this case, floods and debris flows are allowed to pass through the dam. The retained dam foundation and lateral walls dissipate the energy in ground sills, reduce the flow velocity and retard the rapid undercutting of the channel bed. Thus, the threat to downstream residents and major projects can be minimized.
Therefore, the invention first determines the scale corresponding to a given standard flood and debris flow in the basin and estimates the risk of floods. Then, it determines the design standard of the control system according to the prevention requirements of super large-scale floods. Finally, the design methods of check dams with different functional zones are proposed based on the design standard of critical control engineering.
The implementations of the present invention are as follows:
(1) According to the sediment transport capacity of the main river in the lower reaches of the gully, the protection standards of major projects, villages, and towns, the design standards for the prevention and control system in the basin, and the design and protection standards of crucial control engineering are determined. According to the investigation of historical disasters in the basin and measurements of basin topography, as well as field observations of historical flood traces or the hydrological calculation of small watersheds, the peak discharge and the total amount of debris flow are calculated. The source materials of debris flows can also be estimated through field investigations of the distribution of materials in the basin.
(2) The artificial structures or artificial structure arrays that are used to control the initial amount of source materials are installed considering the potential of super large-scale debris flows in the watershed. When the source materials develop into debris flows, uninitiated artificial structures can prevent bed undercutting, and the initiated artificial structures contribute to consuming flow energy through an increase in friction.
(3) If the scale of a flood or glacier debris flow is lower than the design standard (the total discharge of flow is less than 100×104 m3 or the peak discharge of flow is less than 2000 m3/s), the combination of the drainage channel, check dam, and retaining basin described in the patent “A method for the prevention and control of debris flows based on the transport of the main river” (Patent No. 201010617466.8) is used to prevent and control debris flows.
(4) If the scale of a flood or glacier debris flow is higher than the design standard (the total discharge of flow is larger than 100×104 m3 or the peak discharge of flow is larger than 2000 m3/s), field investigations and sampling tests are further used to determine the design and layout, as well as the location and quantity of key projects in the basin.
Key control dams are built every 3-5 common check dams, and the storage capacity of the control dams is equal to or greater than the total storage capacity of its upstream common check dams. These dams are helpful to ensure that the control dams retain the sediments that come from the upstream check dams when they break out.
(5) Key control dams can be divided into four regions, namely, region A, the foundation of the dam; region B, the left shoulder of the dam; region C, the right shoulder of the dam; and region D, the discharge outlet and overtopping weir. The four regions are designed based on different protection standards, i.e., regions A, B, and C are designed according to the same standard, and pile foundations can be used to reinforce the foundation. The design standard of region D is lower than that of the other three regions. Region D is allowed to break when encountering super large-scale floods and debris flows, while the other regions A, B, and C are not allowed to burst.
Preferably, the artificial structures or artificial structure arrays can be arranged in the source area if there is a high possibility of large-scale debris flows in the basin. These structures can be prefabricated and distributed evenly or unevenly in the source area.
Ideally, the geometric parameters (e.g., length, width, and height) of the critical control project are determined based on terrain investigations. For example, the thickness of the project foundation and the accumulation layer on both banks can be obtained through actual drilling and sampling tests.
According to the design and protection standards of railways, highways, and other important facilities in the basin, the design and protection standards of the non-outburst damaged area of the critical control project are required to be higher than those of the outburst area.
The same design standards adopted in regions A, B, and C should be greater than or equal to the protection standards of railways, highways, and other important facilities. These regions are constructed with high-grade reinforced concrete.
Preferably, the design standards adopted in region D are lower than those in regions A, B, and C. The building materials of region D are constructed with reinforced concrete, steel cable nets, and flexible protective nets. In the case of super large-scale glacial floods and debris flows, region D is allowed to burst.
The depth of the pile foundation should be determined as follows: the effective length of the pile foundation is greater than or equal to the dam height and crosses through the overburden to the bedrock, i.e., H>Hdesign.
If possible, the potential failure areas in region D of the critical control dam include the discharge hole. When the impact force/pressure on the dam exceeds the design standard (P>Pdesign) or the debris flow discharges (calculated according to the real-time monitoring data of floods, Q=BHV) exceed the design discharges, region D may begin to fail.
Whether the anchorages in regions B and C are designed as anti-slide piles or prestressed anchorage is based on the thickness of the loose accumulation layer on the shoulders of the dam and the impact resistance requirements of the dam shoulders under the design standards. Moreover, the anchorage depth is determined to be larger than the depth (h>haccumulation layer).
Due to the adoption of the abovementioned technical scheme, the invention allows noncrucial control structure to be destroyed when super large-scale glacier floods and debris flows occur. Moreover, part of the critical control structure also allows the breakage to increase the cross-sectional areas of flows. The unbroken part of the critical control structure can effectively control channel undercutting and regulate the cross-sectional velocity. These are helpful to improve the safety of prevention systems, as well as protect the operation of railways, highways, and key facilities. Specifically, the invention can regulate super large-scale glacial floods and debris flows by constructing key control projects in the basin on the premise of ensuring the safe operation of railways, highways, and other important facilities in the basin.
Compared with the existing technology, this invention allows part of the critical control dam to break under the condition of ensuring the safe operation of entire systems, thereby increasing the cross-sectional areas and the flow discharges. The unbroken foundation of the dam can effectively control the channel undercutting and regulate the cross-sectional velocity. These are helpful to minimize the threat and harm to the downstream areas. At the same time, the critical control dam can be quickly restored to its original state after the burst, thereby saving construction time and greatly reducing the maintenance cost of the project.
Many loose materials lay in a glacial debris flow valley, which has a large slope but a small width (
The amount of source materials that may be involved in debris flows is determined through field investigations and sampling tests. Therefore, comprehensive prevention of debris flows is planned to be carried out by adopting stabilization and grading control measures. Artificial structures or artificial structure arrays that are used to control the initial amount of source materials are installed when super large-scale debris flows in the watershed occur. When the source materials develop into debris flows, uninitiated artificial structures can prevent bed undercutting, and the initiated artificial structures contribute to consuming flow energy through an increase in friction. Ten conventional check dams and 2 key control check dams should be built in the water basin; in other words, one critical control check dam is planned for every five conventional check dams. The designed storage capacity of each conventional check dam is 11×104 m3 and that of the critical control check dam is 55×104 m3. The designed total storage capacity of the proposed prevention and control project is greater than the total instantaneous debris flow volume under the design standard (P=1%). The designed storage capacity of one control check dam is equivalent to the sum of the designed storage capacity of five conventional check dams. According to the field measurements and borehole sampling tests, the dam length of the controlling dam is 140 m, the total dam height is 60 m, and the effective dam height is 46 m. The controlled check dam is divided into four regions, namely, region A (foundation of the dam), region B (left shoulder of the dam), region C (right shoulder of the dam), and region D (the discharge outlet and overtopping weir). According to the design protection standard (P=1%) of the highway at the outlet of the gully, the design protection standard of the non-outburst damage regions (A, B, and C) of the critical control prevention project is determined as P=0.5%, and the design protection standard of outburst region D is determined as P=1%.
The materials of region A are high-grade reinforced concrete and pile foundations to ensure that the foundation can resist strong erosion and undercutting without being damaged in the case of super large-scale glacier floods and debris flows. According to the field measurements and borehole sampling tests, the thickness of the loose accumulation layer of the dam foundation is 20 m; thus, the effective length of the pile foundation is determined to be H=50 m (larger than the effective dam height and the thickness of the loose accumulation layer). The materials of regions B and C are high-grade reinforced concrete. The thickness of the accumulation layer on both banks is 15 m according to drilling and sampling tests. Considering that the thickness of the accumulation layer on both banks is small, anti-slide piles should be used for the dam shoulders, and the anchoring depth h=20 m (larger than the thickness of the accumulation layer). The materials of region D are reinforced concrete, and this region is lower than regions A, B, and C. When the impact force on the dam exceeds the design standard (P=1%) or the debris flow in the basin exceeds the design discharges (2200 m3/s), region B of the controlled check dam automatically fails.
Many loose materials lay in a glacial debris flow valley, which has a large slope but a small width (
The amount of source materials that may be involved in debris flows is determined through field investigations and sampling tests. Therefore, comprehensive prevention of debris flows is planned to be carried out by adopting stabilization and grading control measures. Artificial structures or artificial structure arrays that are used to control the initial amount of source materials are installed when super large-scale debris flows in the watershed occur. When the source materials develop into debris flows, uninitiated artificial structures can prevent bed undercutting, and the initiated artificial structures contribute to consuming flow energy through an increase in friction. Twenty conventional check dams and 4 key control check dams should be built in the water basin; in other words, one critical control check dam is planned for every five conventional check dams. The designed storage capacity of each conventional check dam is 16×104 m3 and that of the critical control check dam is 80×104 m3. The designed total storage capacity of the proposed prevention and control project is greater than the total instantaneous debris flow volume under the design standard (P=1%). The designed storage capacity of one control check dam is equivalent to the sum of the designed storage capacity of five conventional check dams. According to the field measurements and borehole sampling tests, the dam length of the controlling dam is 178 m, the total dam height is 64 m, and the effective dam height is 48 m. The controlled check dam is divided into four regions, namely, region A (foundation of the dam), region B (left shoulder of the dam), region C (right shoulder of the dam), and region D (the discharge outlet and overtopping weir). According to the design protection standard (P=1%) of the highway at the outlet of the gully, the design protection standard of the non-outburst damage regions (A, B, and C) of the critical control prevention project is determined as P=0.5%, and the design protection standard of the outburst region D is determined as P=1%.
The materials of region A are high-grade reinforced concrete and pile foundations to ensure that the foundation can resist strong erosion and undercutting without being damaged in the case of super large-scale glacier floods and debris flows. According to the field measurements and borehole sampling tests, the thickness of the loose accumulation layer of the dam foundation is 25 m; thus, the effective length of the pile foundation is determined to be H=50 m (larger than the effective dam height and the thickness of the loose accumulation layer). The materials of regions B and C are high-grade reinforced concrete. The thickness of the accumulation layer on both banks is 30 m according to drilling and sampling tests. Considering that the thickness of the accumulation layer on both banks is large, a prestressed anchor cable should be used for the dam shoulders, and the anchoring depth h=35 m (larger than the thickness of the accumulation layer). The materials of region D are reinforced concrete, and this region is lower than regions A, B, and C. When the impact force on the dam exceeds the design standard (P=1%) or the debris flow in the basin exceeds the design discharges (3500 m3/s), region D of the controlled check dam automatically bursts.
A glacial debris flow valley with a large slope and small width is shown in
The amount of source materials that may be involved in debris flows is determined through field investigations and sampling tests. Therefore, comprehensive prevention of debris flows is carried out by adopting stabilization and grading control measures. Artificial structures or artificial structure arrays that are used to control the initial amount of source materials are installed when super large-scale debris flows in the watershed occur. When the source materials develop into debris flows, uninitiated artificial structures can prevent bed undercutting, and the initiated artificial structures contribute to consuming flow energy through an increase in friction. Forty conventional check dams and 10 key control check dams are proposed in the water basin; in other words, one critical control check dam is planned for every four conventional check dams. The designed storage capacity of each conventional check dam is 15×104 m3 and that of the critical control check dam is 60×104 m3. The designed total storage capacity of the proposed prevention and control project is greater than the total instantaneous debris flow discharge under the design standard (P=1%). The designed storage capacity of one control check dam is equivalent to the sum of the designed storage capacity of four conventional check dams. According to the field measurements and borehole sampling tests, the dam length of the controlling dam is 154 m, the total dam height is 58 m, and the effective dam height is 44 m. The controlled check dam is divided into four regions, namely, region A (foundation of the dam), region B (left shoulder of the dam), region C (right shoulder of the dam), and region D (the discharge outlet and overtopping weir). According to the design protection standard (P=1%) of the highway at the outlet of the gully, the design protection standard of the non-outburst damage regions (A, B, and C) of the critical control prevention project is determined as P=0.5%, and the design protection standard of the outburst region D is determined as P=1%.
The materials of region A are high-grade reinforced concrete and pile foundations to ensure that the foundation can resist strong erosion and undercutting without being damaged in the case of super large-scale glacier floods and debris flows. According to field measurements and borehole sampling tests, the thickness of the loose accumulation layer of the dam foundation is 30 m; thus, the effective length of the pile foundation is determined to be H=46 m (larger than the effective dam height and the thickness of the loose accumulation layer). The materials of regions B and C are high-grade reinforced concrete. The thickness of the accumulation layer on both banks is 10 m according to drilling and sampling tests. Considering that the thickness of the accumulation layer on both banks is small, a slide-resistant pile should be used for the dam shoulders, and the anchoring depth h=20 m (larger than the thickness of the accumulation layer). The materials of region D are steel cables and flexible nets. When the impact force on the dam exceeds the design standard (P=1%) or the debris flow in the basin exceeds the design discharges (5000 m3/s), region D of the controlled check dam automatically bursts.
The above descriptions are only the preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. The present invention is subject to various modifications and variations for technical personnel in the field. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the invention should be included in the protection scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202010569799.1 | Jun 2020 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2020/111994 | 8/28/2020 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2021/253635 | 12/23/2021 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140154012 | Chen | Jun 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 101701454 | May 2010 | CN |
| 105525595 | Apr 2016 | CN |
| 107034853 | Aug 2017 | CN |
| 107090804 | Aug 2017 | CN |
| 109610404 | Apr 2019 | CN |
| 110443741 | Nov 2019 | CN |
| 2009197433 | Sep 2009 | JP |
| 100901886 | Jun 2009 | KR |
| 20150143497 | Dec 2015 | KR |
| 20160077357 | Jul 2016 | KR |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20230002992 A1 | Jan 2023 | US |
