Debris flow in Venezuela. Design criteria for protection works

摘要

This paper presents the application of criteria to design open dams that mitigate or diminish the destructive effects of Mudflow and Debris Flow, together with the channels that follow downstream. Basically the procedure is as follows: 1. Determination of the physical properties of the fluid that is capable of carrying or transporting rocks of the same size as those carried by the last flood, by means of the flood hydrograph and an estimate of the volume of material deposited into the alluvial fan. 2. Determination of the effect of energy loss to decrease specific weight of the mud in the open dam (gravitational slit dam).