How do I use flexible barriers (nets) in the debrisflow module?
Idea: Calculate possible retention volume of flexible barriers, according to the document «Practical guide for debrisflow and hillslope protection nets» from WSL. Then remove retention volume (and momentum) out of the flow at the locations of flexible barriers (defined as polygon shapefiles).
To use flexible barriers (net) in the RAMMS::Debrisflow module, follow these steps:
- Define Barrier Locations: Open an input file in RAMMS and draw polygons at the locations where you want to place the flexible barriers. You can have one or several polygons within a shapefile to represent multiple nets
- Set Barrier Parameters: Define the width and height for each barrier in meters. The green arrow in the interface will indicate which polygon you are defining the parameters for. After setting the width and height, RAMMS will calculate the possible retention volume for the barrier. If the calculated volume is not satisfactory, you can enter a new retention volume manually
- Check Barrier Parameters: After setting the parameters, you can right-click on the filename to view the barrier information. If you need to set new parameters, remove the existing barrier from the shapefile first.
- Simulation: Start a simulation with the barriers in place. In the simulation, you can monitor how much volume is retained by the barriers. It is recommended to set the stop criteria to 1 percent and avoid using the Center-of-Mass stop criteria with barriers.
- Results: After the simulation, you can check the retained volume by choosing “Barrier Retention Height” and animating the flow. The barrier information will also be added to the output log file.
These steps will help you effectively use flexible barriers in the RAMMS::Debrisflow module to simulate debris flow protection and retention scenarios. More information can be found here: Debrisflow_FlexibleBarriers.pdf.