DEM modeling of debris flows triggered by rain: the case of Cerro del Quinceo (July 10, 2018)

Abstract

Debris flows triggered by rainfall are among the most destructive types of landslides affecting mountainous regions. On July 10, 2018, one such event occurred on the slopes of Cerro del Quinceo, Morelia, Mexico, exemplifying the devastating consequences of extreme hydrometeorological conditions on settlements located on unstable terrain and steep slopes. This document presents results on the numerical modeling of the complex geomechanical mechanisms behind the event. It shows an application of the Discrete Element Method (DEM) for the simulation of these complex flow phenomena.