Feasibility of Foothill Barriers to Reduce the Propagation of Debris Avalanches

A numerical investigation is here presented about the beneficial effects of artificial barriers on the reduction of propagation of Debris Avalanches (DAs). Along natural open slopes DAs propagate as unconfined flows and usually travel hundreds of meters, with significant increase in volume during the propagation path. The idea of the research is that one or more barriers located at the foothill area can reduce the runout and constrain the flow movement in a designated area safely far from structures and people at risk. The “GeoFlow_SPH” model is used, as it allows the computation of the affected areas along with the height and velocity of the landslide mass. Different failure volumes and rheological properties are considered. The numerical results highlight how the position of the barriers may differently influence the flow features as well as the deposition zone. In the framework of the engineering implementation of such type of interventions, a preliminary discussion is presented about the optimal position and type of barriers.