The 24th IAHR-APD Congress (24th IAHR-APD Congress)

The study aims to address the challenge posed by mudflow disasters, frequently triggered by intense rainfall and deforestation in highland areas, which endanger human lives and infrastructure, especially in tropical countries such as Malaysia. Hence, we present a computational approach of simulating mudflow dynamics, employing a two-dimensional depth-averaged model based on finite difference scheme. The advection terms are solved by using the Constrained Interpolation Profile (CIP) scheme. Initial validation against an analytical solution for a partial dam-break flow problem assessed the model's accuracy in capturing fundamental mudflow behaviors. The subsequent validation by using experimental data ensured the reliability of the model’s rheological parameters. Topographical data from the Stava fluorite mine area in Italy, where a devastating mudflow occurred in 1985 is employed in the validated model to investigate mudflow dynamics in this high-risk region. To evaluate the performance of our model, we compare our mudflow simulations with previous numerical studies which carried out a benchmarking study by employing four distinct commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software to simulate the 1985 Stava mudflow scenario. Comparisons of inundation areas generated by our model and the commercial CFD software enable an assessment of our model's accuracy. Furthermore, the numerical results of our model that utilized different rheological models have compared each other to study the performances and differences of different rheological models. By demonstrating the importance of computational numerical simulations in hazard assessment and mitigation planning, our study contributes to enhancing the understanding and preparedness for effective mudflow hazard management. Through the integration of computational modeling and empirical validation, our research provides valuable insights for stakeholders involved in risk assessment, land-use planning, and emergency response efforts in highland regions prone to mudflow disasters.