Study on the impact resistance of steel pipe frame barriers for debris flow using physical model experiments

Abstract

Debris flows are a common type of natural disaster in the mountainous areas of Northern Vietnam. One solution to reduce the impact on downstream areas is to construct open - frame barriers using steel pipes. For this type of barrier, when blocking debris flows, large rocks in the flow, due to inertia, may collide with the structure, potentially causing damage. To reduce impact forces, soft connections can be placed either in front of or behind the frame. These connections, due to their elasticity, help dissipate some of the energy from the rock impact. A straightforward and effective type of soft connection is to use straight springs with specific axial stiffness. This paper uses physical experimental methods to analyze the behavior of the frame both with and without energy - dissipating devices under impact forces, leading to conclusions about the effectiveness of this solution.