Abstract

Water–sand flow triggered by rainfall is the dominant mechanism for instability and failure of sand slopes. To further analyze the stability state of sand on a slope under different rainfall conditions, the initiation conditions and flow characteristics of water–sand flows are studied. Based on the theory of equilibrium forces and hydrological dynamics, a 1:100-scale analog model is built and verified with field observation data. The results indicate three dynamic stabilization stages of the sand slope under different weather conditions: dry sand, wet sand, and water–sand flow. Water–sand flows are triggered easily under short duration and heavy rainfall conditions. The rainfall threshold required to initiate water–sand flow is 4.14 mm/h. Rainfall amount and duration required to initiate water–sand flow decrease with fine sand content increasing. A sand head that develops at the front of the water–sand flow results in a flow along the edge of the sand debris flow and a “tree root” flow morphology. Modeling results are consistent with theoretical analysis and field observations. Document type: Article