THARMIT Torrent Hazard Control in the European Alps: Practical Tools and Methodologies for Hazard Assessment and Risk Mitigation, WP6: Countermeasures and Warning Systems

Technical countermeasures in torrent catchment are mainly used to protect densely populated regions in the Alps against debris flow hazards. Depending on the experience of the planning agency variable types of structures were developed with different success. The objective of this study is to summarize this experience to improve structural design and the effectiveness of technical countermeasures. Warning systems as a new and cheap type of risk reduction especially for highways and railways need an excellent equipment to avoid false alarms and warning thresholds to activate the operational warning scheme. Due to lack of experience with such systems in the European Alps an applicable debris flow warning system will be developed. Description of work: Presentation of the state of art of technical countermeasures in torrent catchment, Hazard mitigation effect of existing countermeasures (field survey and experiments), Analysis of interactions between debris flows and control structures, System requirements for debris flows warning systems, Warning thresholds derived from debris flow records, Operation scheme and emergency plan for the application of debris flow warning systems, Deliverables: Database of different types of control structures and their effectiveness on basis of documented events, Selection of best fitting technical countermeasures, Guidelines for structural design, Technical possibilities and operational areas for warning systems, Publications