Dynamics of Alpine Mass Movements
Dynamics of Alpine Mass Movements
Exceptional mountain instabilities can trigger complex process chains involving rock, ice, snow avalanches and outburst flows. To better understand, simulate and manage such events, we develop a thermo-hydromechanical Material Point Method that simulates the mechanical behavior of different materials and their interaction, friction heat dissipation, phase changes as well as the effect pore pressure induced fluidization.
Erosion mechanisms in alpine mass movements
Erosion and entrainment are critical processes in gravity-driven mass flows like snow as they can significantly change the flow mass and momentum and thus affect the flow dynamics. We investigate these processes by means of DEM, CFD/DEM or MPM simulations in the case of cohesionless, cohesive but also (air or water) saturated granular beds. Our findings contribute to improve related parametrizations in large-scale avalanche dynamics models
Rockfalls
We study the interaction between rock boulders and the ground to better understand energy dissipation during impact and thus design improved contact models for large scale rockfall models that are used for hazard assessment.
