Discharge of landslide-induced debris flows: case studies of Typhoon Morakot in southern Taiwan

Abstract

Three debris-flow gullies, the Hong-Shui-Xian (HSX), Sha-Xin-Kai (SXK), and Xin-Kai-Dafo (XKD) gullies, located in the Shinfa area of southern Taiwan, were selected as case studies on the discharge of landslide-induced debris flows caused by Typhoon Morakot in 2009. The inundation characteristics of the three debris flows, such as the debris-flow volume V, deposition area Ad, and maximum flow depth, were collected by field investigations and simulated using the numerical modeling software FLO-2D. The discharge coefficient cb, defined as the ratio of the debris-flow discharge Qdp to the water-flow discharge Qwp, was proposed to determine Qdp, and Qwp was estimated by a rational equation. Then, cb was calibrated by a comparison between the field investigation and the numerical simulation of the inundation characteristics of debris flows. Our results showed that the values of cb range from 6 to 18, and their values are affected by the landslide ratio RL. Empirical relationships for cb versus RL, Qdp versus Qwp, Qdp versus V, and Ad versus V are also presented.