2D dry granular free-surface flow over complex topography with obstacles. Part I: experimental study using a consumer-grade RGB-D sensor

Avalanches, debris flows and other types of gravity-driven granular flows are a common hazard in mountainous regions. These regions often have human settlements in the lower parts of valleys, with human structures dangerously exposed to the destructive effects of these geophysical flows. Therefore a scientific effort has been made to understand, model and simulate geophysical granular flows. In order for computer models and simulations to be of predictive value they need to be validated under controlled, yet nature-like conditions. This work presents an experimental study of granular flow over a simplified mountain slope and valley topography. The experimental facility has a rough bed with very high slope at the upstream end and adverse slope on the downstream end, following a parabolic profile. Obstacles are present in the lower regions. Transient measurements of the moving granular surfaces were taken with a consumer-grade RGB-D sensor, providing transient 2D elevation fields around the obstacles. Three experimental configurations were tested, with semispheres of different diameters and a square dike obstacle. The experimental results are very consistent and repeatable. The quantitative, transient and two-dimensional data for all three experiments constitute excellent benchmarking tests for computational models, such as the one presented in a companion paper.