RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW User Manual

RAMMS
rapid mass movement simulation

A numerical model for debris flows in research and practice

User Manual v1.8.0

Debris Flow

WSL-Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF

WSL Institut pour l‘étude de la neige et des avalanches SLF

WSL Instituto per lo studio della neve e delle valanghe SLF

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF

i
Title picture: Debris Flow at Illgraben, WSL test site

Manuscript update

October 2022
Table of Content
1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1

1.1 Motivation .................................................................................................................. 1

1.2 RAMMS ........................................................................................................................ 2

1.3 Learning by doing ........................................................................................................ 3

2 Installation and Setup ......................................................................................................... 4

2.1 System requirements .................................................................................................. 4

2.2 Installation ................................................................................................................... 4

2.3 Licensing .................................................................................................................... 11

2.4 First start .................................................................................................................... 11

2.4.1 Personal license request file .............................................................................. 12

2.4.2 Getting the personal license key ..................................................................... 12
2.5 Update ....................................................................................................................... 13

3 Setting up a simulation ..................................................................................................... 14

3.1 Preparations ............................................................................................................. 14

3.1.1 Topographic data - Digital Elevation Model (DEM)....................................... 14

3.1.2 Project and Scenarios ........................................................................................ 15
3.1.3 Release information ........................................................................................... 15
3.1.4 Friction information ........................................................................................... 16
3.1.5 Erosion information ........................................................................................ 18
3.1.6 Calculation parameters ..................................................................................... 19
3.2 Preferences .............................................................................................................. 20

3.3 Creating a new project .............................................................................................. 22

3.4 Working with the RAMMS GUI .................................................................................. 26

3.4.1 Open input- and output-files............................................................................. 26

3.4.2 Visualizing shapefiles and domain-files ............................................................ 26
3.4.3 Hillshade visualization ....................................................................................... 29
3.4.4 Changing maps and orthophotos (aerial images) ............................................. 30
 3.4.5 Moving, resizing, rotating, viewing ................................................................... 31
3.4.6 Colorbar .............................................................................................................. 33
3.4.7 How to save input files and program settings .............................................. 35
3.4.8 About RAMMS................................................................................................... 37
3.5 Running a simulation .............................................................................................. 38

3.5.1 Release area ....................................................................................................... 38

3.5.2 Input hydrograph ............................................................................................... 41
3.5.3 Erosion ................................................................................................................ 46
3.5.4 Calculation Domain ............................................................................................ 48
3.5.5 How to run a calculation .................................................................................... 51
3.5.6 How to run BATCH calculations ......................................................................... 59
4 Results ............................................................................................................................... 60

4.1 Project information ................................................................................................... 61

4.2 Visualization and analysis of the results .................................................................... 63

4.2.1 Visualize different parameters ........................................................................... 63

4.2.2 Deposition analysis ............................................................................................. 69
4.2.3 Google Earth Export ........................................................................................... 71
4.2.4 Creating an image or a GIF animation................................................................ 73
4.2.5 Stopping criteria ................................................................................................. 74
4.3 Adding structures or deposition to DEM ................................................................... 78

4.3.1 Creating a dam ................................................................................................... 78

4.3.2 Creating a new DEM with deposited debris material ........................................ 81
5 Applications....................................................................................................................... 82

5.1 Calibration ................................................................................................................. 82

5.2 Input hydrograph in comparison with block release ................................................ 86

5.2.1 Comparison between a block release and an input hydrograph ....................... 86

5.2.2 Discussion ........................................................................................................... 87
5.2.3 Summary ............................................................................................................ 87
5.3 Erosion example ........................................................................................................ 88

6 Program overview ............................................................................................................. 92

 6.1 The Graphical User Interface (GUI) ........................................................................... 92

6.1.1 The menu bars .................................................................................................... 93

6.1.2 Horizontal toolbar ............................................................................................ 101
6.1.3 Vertical Toolbar ................................................................................................ 103
6.1.4 Main window .................................................................................................... 104
6.1.5 Panel ................................................................................................................. 104
6.1.6 Time step slider ................................................................................................ 109
6.1.7 Left status bar................................................................................................... 109
6.1.8 Right status bar ................................................................................................ 109
6.1.9 Colorbar ............................................................................................................ 110
7 References and further reading .................................................................................. 111

7.1 References .............................................................................................................. 111

7.2 Publications ............................................................................................................ 112

List of figures .......................................................................................................................... 113

List of tables ........................................................................................................................... 117
Third-Party Software .............................................................................................................. 117
Index ....................................................................................................................................... 118
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1 Introduction
In the field of natural hazards there is an increasing need for process models to help understand the
motion of geophysical movements. These models allow engineers to predict the speed and mass of
hazardous movements in complex terrain. Such models are especially helpful when processing mitiga-
tion measures, such as avalanche dams or snow sheds. Hazard mapping is an especially important ap-
plication in Switzerland and other mountainous countries. An accurate prediction of runout distances,
flow velocities and impact pressures in general three-dimensional terrain is the driving motivation for
the development of dynamical mass movement models. Although helpful and well-liked by users, one-
dimensional models such as AVAL-1D require that the primary flow direction and flow width must be
defined by the user in advance. This is often difficult, especially in open terrain, or in terrain consisting
of several possible flow channels. Furthermore, flow interaction with catching and deflecting dams
cannot be accurately modeled using one-dimensional simulation codes.

RAMMS (Rapid Mass Movement Simulation) is a two-dimensional, state-of-the-art numerical simula-

tion model to calculate the motion of geophysical mass movements (snow avalanches, rockslide, de-
bris flows and shallow landslides) from initiation to runout in three-dimensional terrain. It was de-
signed to be used in practice by hazard engineers who need solutions to real, everyday problems. It is
coupled with a user-friendly visualization tool that allows them to easily access, display and analyze
simulation results. New constitutive models have been developed and implemented in RAMMS, thanks
to calibration and verification at full scale tests at sites such as Vallée de la Sionne. These models allow
the application of RAMMS to solve both large, extreme avalanche events as well as smaller mass move-
ments such as hillslope debris flow and shallow landslides.

RAMMS is developed since 2010 by the RAMMS team at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche
Research SLF. This manual describes the features of the RAMMS program – allowing beginners to get
started quickly as well as serving as a reference to expert users.

The RAMMS website https://ramms.slf.ch provides useful information about all modules, licenses, fre-
quently asked questions (FAQ) or recent software updates. Please visit this website frequently to stay
up to date!

1.1 Motivation
Mitigation of natural hazards relies increasingly on numerical process models to predict the area in-
undated by rapid geophysical mass movements. These movements include

• snow avalanches,
• torrent based debris flows and hillslope debris flows,
• mudslides,
• ice avalanches and glacier lake outbreaks
• rockfalls and rock avalanches.

Process models are used by engineers to predict the speed and reach of these hazardous movements
in complex terrain. The preparation of hazard maps is a primary application. The models are especially
helpful when proposing technical mitigation measures, such as dams and embankments or rockfall

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

protection barriers. The models allow hazard engineers to optimize limited financial resources by
studying the influence of different hazard scenarios on defense options.

1.2 RAMMS
The RAMMS (RApid Mass Movement Simulation) software system contains three process modules:

• RAMMS::AVALANCHE
• RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW
• RAMMS::ROCKFALL

The RAMMS::AVALANCHE and RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW modules are designed for flow phenomena con-
taining fast moving particulate debris of snow and rocks. In the avalanche module, the interstitial fluid
is air, whereas in the debris flow module the interstitial fluid is mud. The RAMMS::AVALANCHE and
RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW models are used to calculate the motion of the movement from initiation to
runout in three-dimensional terrain. The models use depth-averaged equations and predict the slope-
parallel velocities and flow heights. This information is sufficient for most engineering applications.
Information in the slope-perpendicular direction (e.g. mass and velocity distribution) is lost; however,
this is seldom of practical interest. Both models require an accurate digital representation of the ter-
rain. Engineers specify initial conditions (location and size of the release mass) and friction parameters,
depending on terrain (e.g. roughness, vegetation) and material (e.g. snow, ice or mud content of the
debris flow).

The RAMMS::ROCKFALL module is used to study the rigid body motion of falling rocks. The model pre-
dicts rock trajectories in general three-dimensional terrain. Rock trajectories are governed by the in-
teraction between the rock and ground. The model contains six primary state variables: three transla-
tional speeds and three rotational velocities of the falling rock. From these, kinetic energy, runout
distance and jump heights can be derived. Generalized rock shapes are modeled. Rock orientation and
rotational speed are included in the rock/ground interaction. The RAMMS::ROCKFALL module is there-
fore fundamentally different from the RAMMS::AVALANCHE and RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW modules be-
cause it is based on hard-contact, rigid-body Lagrangian mechanics, not Eulerian flow mechanics. It
also differs from existing rockfall modules because the rock/ground interaction is not governed entirely
by simple rebound mechanics, but frictional (dissipative) rock/ground interactions. These govern the
onset of rock jumping. The RAMMS::ROCKFALL module predicts all rigid-body motions – rock sliding,
rolling, jumping and skipping.

In all RAMMS modules, new constitutive models have been developed and implemented, thanks to
calibration and verification at full scale test sites such as St. Léonard/Walenstadt (rockfall, mitigation
measures), Vallée de la Sionne (snow avalanches) and Illgraben (debris flow).

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.3 Learning by doing

This manual provides an overview of RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW. Exercises exemplify different steps in set-
ting up and running a RAMMS simulation especially in Chapter 3 ‘Setting up a simulation’. However, to
get the most from the manual, we suggest reading it through while simultaneously having the RAMMS
program open, learning by doing. We assume RAMMS users to have a basic level of familiarity with
windows-based programs, commands and general computer terminology. We do not describe the ba-
sics of windows management (such as resizing or minimizing). RAMMS windows, click options and in-
put masks are similar to other windows-based programs and can be used, closed, reduced or resized
in the same way.

DISCLAIMER

RAMMS is intended to be used as a tool to support experienced users. The interpretation of the
simulation results has to be done by a debris flow expert who is familiar with the local as well as
with the topographic and geological situation of the investigation area. In no event shall SLF/WSL be
liable for any damage or lost profits arising, directly or indirectly, from the use of RAMMS. Swiss law
applies. Court of jurisdiction is Davos. If you encounter problems, please contact ramms@slf.ch.

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

2 Installation and Setup

2.1 System requirements
We recommend the following minimum system requirements for running RAMMS::DE-
BRISFLOW:

• Operating Systems: Windows 8, 10 and 11 (64-bit)

32-bit systems (Win XP) are not supported anymore
• RAM (memory): 4 GB (more recommended)
• CPU: > 1 GHz, 2 cores or more recommended
• Disk space: ca. 220 MB needed for the software

2.2 Installation
Please download the RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW setup file “ramms_dbf_user_setup_64.zip” from
https://ramms.slf.ch/en/modules/debrisflow.html (Downloads tab at the bottom of page).

Direct download link: https://ramms.slf.ch/ramms/downloads/ramms_dbf_user_setup_64.zip

Please do the following steps before beginning to install RAMMS:

• Click on the path given above or copy the path to any browser. A window pops up and the
automatic download of the file ramms_dbf_user_setup_64.zip starts after clicking Yes.
• Unzip the file to a temporary location.
• You must have Administrator privileges on the target machine. If you do not have such
privileges, the installer cannot modify the system configuration of the machine and the
installation will fail. Note that you do not need Administrator privileges to run RAMMS after-
wards.
• Read first, install afterwards! Please read the whole installation process once, before you
begin the installation.
• Start the file “ramms<version>_dbf_user_setup_64.exe”.

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Step 1: Welcome

The welcome dialog introduces you to the English setup program and will guide you through the
installation process. Click Next to continue.

Figure 2-1: Installation - welcome dialog window.

Step 2: Readme

Short introduction to RAMMS. Click Next to continue.

Figure 2-2: Installation - readme dialog window.

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Step 3: Accepting the license agreement

Read the license agreement carefully and accept it by activating the check box in the lower left
corner. If you do not accept the license agreement, you are not able to proceed with the installa-
tion. After accepting the license agreement, click Next to continue the installation.

Step 4: Select destination directory

Figure 2-3: Installation - license agreement dialog window.

Choose your destination directory. This dialog shows the amount of space available on your hard disk
and required for the installation. Click Next to start the installation process.

Figure 2-4: Installation - destination directory dialog window.

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Step 5: Installing the files

RAMMS is copying the files to the destination location. The window shows the installation pro-
gress.

Figure 2-5: Installation - installing files dialog window.

Step 6: Finished installing the files

RAMMS finished copying the files. Click Next to finish the installation process.

Figure 2-6 : Installation - finished installing files dialog window.

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Step 7: RAMMS installation finished!

Figure 2-7: Installation - finished installation dialog window.

RAMMS successfully finished the installation. Click Finish.

Step 8: Welcome to IDL Visual Studio Merge Modules

To ensure that all important system libraries are installed on your target machine follow the instruc-
tions below:

The welcome dialog introduces you to the English setup program and will guide you through the
installation process of the IDL Visual Studio Merge Modules. Click Next to continue.

Figure 2-8: IDL Visual Studio Merge Modules - welcome dialog window.

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Step 9: Ready to install the program

Figure 2-9: IDL Visual Studio Merge Modules - ready to install the program.

Click Next to continue.

Step 10: Installing IDL Visual Studio Merge Modules

The wizard is installing the files. Please wait until it is finished.

Figure 2-10: IDL Visual Studio Merge Modules - installing...

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Step 11: InstallShield Wizard Completed

The wizard completed the installation. Click Finish.

After having successfully installed RAMMS and the necessary files on your personal computer, you
will notice the RAMMS icon on your desktop (for all users):

Figure 2-11: Installation - destination directory dialog window.

Figure 2-12: RAMMS icon.

Additionally, a new application folder is created in Start → Programs (for all users):

• RAMMS → Run RAMMS

• RAMMS → Uninstall RAMMS

Figure 2-13: RAMMS program group

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

2.3 Licensing
Access to RAMMS is controlled by a personal use license. Personal use licenses are time limited licenses
tied to a single personal computer. This method of licensing requires a machine’s unique host ID
to be incorporated into a license request file. After the license request file is sent to SLF/WSL, you
will receive a license key. Entering the license key on a personal computer enables full RAMMS
functionality for the specific personal computer. For more information please visit
https://ramms.slf.ch. Alternatively, the license can be installed on a Windows Server and ac-
cessed by different users (only one at a time) by RDC (Remote Desktop Connection). This only
works for one license per module.

2.4 First start

Double-click the RAMMS icon or use Start → Programs → RAMMS → Run RAMMS to start RAMMS
for the first time. Whenever you start RAMMS, the splash screen below will pop up:

Figure 2-14: RAMMS start window.

Figure 2-15: RAMMS licensing window

Click on the image. It will disappear and RAMMS will start up. The following dialog window appears
(Figure 2-15 RAMMS Licensing):

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

2.4.1 Personal license request file

Click the button to create your personal license request file. In Figure 2-16 enter your full

Figure 2-16: Enter user name and company name.

name and the name of your company.

In the next dialog window, choose the destination directory of your personal license request file and
save it to your target machine. Your personal license request file should look similar to Figure 2-17.

Figure 2-17: Personal license request file RAMMS_DBF_request_TestName.txt

2.4.2 Getting the personal license key

You find an order form on the RAMMS web page (Order Form or Demo Order Form) at
https://ramms.slf.ch/en/licenses.html. Fill in all your personal information, choose the license pe-
riod, license type and number of licenses you wish to order, attach your personal license request
file(s), accept the license agreement and click Submit Order.

An order confirmation email is sent to your email address. We then process your order and send
you an invoice. As soon as we received your payment, we will send you your personal license key.
Your personal license key is named similar to

DBF_20151013_TestName_RAMMS_TimeLicense.txt.

Open the file in a text editor. It should look similar to Figure 2-18. The filename reveals also the
end date of your license period, e.g. “20151013” = October 13 th 2015.

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CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Figure 2-18: Personal license key file RAMMS_license_Muster Test.txt

Now, restart RAMMS (as explained before). The IDL splash screen appears (Figure 2-14) and then the
dialog window of Figure 2-15 shows up (RAMMS - Licensing). Copy the license key (in this example:
DEBRISFLOW 0h2i-i0ji-ikpm-cjdf-4j4j) and paste it at the field LICENSE KEY (see Figure 2-15). Notice
that there is the prefix DEBRISFLOW. This prefix is part of the license key and has to be inserted
as well! If RAMMS accepts your installation key, you successfully finished the installation.

2.5 Update
When you start RAMMS it will automatically check for updates on the internet. This can lead to an
error message, if your firewall blocks the executable idlrt.exe (this file starts the IDL-Virtual Machine
you need to run RAMMS). Please unblock this file for your firewall. You can also disable the
AutoWebUpdate-function by unchecking Help → Advanced... → AutoWebUpdate. In the same way
you can enable the AutoWebUpdate-function by checking Help → Advanced... → AutoWebUpdate.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3 Setting up a simulation
3.1 Preparations
To successfully start a new RAMMS project, a few important preparations are necessary. Topographic
input data (DEM in ASCII- or GEOTIFF-format), project boundary coordinates and georeferenced
maps or remote sensing images should be prepared in advance (.tif format and .tfw-file, maps and
images are not mandatory, but nice to have). Georeferenced datasets have to be in the same Carte-
sian coordinate system (e.g. Swiss CH1903 LV03) as the DEM. Polar coordinate systems in degree
(e.g. WGS84 Longitude Latitude) are not supported. For more information about specific national co-
ordinate systems please contact the national topographic agency in your country.

3.1.1 Topographic data - Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

The topographic data is the most important input requirement. The simulation results depend
strongly on the resolution and accuracy of the topographic input data. Before you start a simulation,
make sure all important terrain features are represented in the input DEM. RAMMS is able to
process the following topographic data:

• ESRI ASCII grid (Figure 3-1)

• GEOTIFF (georeferenced information embedded within a TIFF file)
• ASCII XYZ regular, single space data (Figure 3-2)

ASCII XYZ data (regular and irregular) can be converted within RAMMS into an ASCII or GEOTIFF grid.
A wizard will guide you through the conversion process. The following interpolation methods are avail-
able: LINEAR or INVERSE DISTANCE

The header of an ESRI ASCII grid must contain the information shown in Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1 : Example ESRI ASCII grid. Figure 3-2: Example ASCII XYZ single
space data.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.1.2 Project and Scenarios

A project is defined for a region of interest. Within a project, one or more scenarios can be specified
and analyzed. For every scenario, a calculation can be executed. A project consists therefore of
different scenarios (input files) with different input parameters. The basic topographic input data
is the same for every scenario. If you want to change the topographic input data (e.g. change the
input DEM resolution or the project boundary coordinates) you have to create a new project. Other
input parameters (such as release area, calculation domain, calculation grid resolution, end time or
time step) can be changed for every scenario.

Figure 3-3: The same project extent (area of interest) can be used to calculate
different scenarios with different input parameters.
3.1.3 Release information
In RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW there are two options to define the starting conditions (release infor-
mation) of a simulation:

• Release area (or block release)

• Input hydrograph (or simply hydrograph)

The starting conditions of a simulation can be selected depending on the type of debris flow you want
to model. Generally, it is useful to distinguish between unchanneled and channelized debris flows.
Here we use the term unchanneled debris flow for hillslope debris flows or shallow landslides, chan-
nelized debris flows develop in regions where torrents limit the flow paths and the debris material
mainly follows the torrent channel.

For small unchanneled debris flows it is useful to use a release area with a given initial depth, which
will be released as a block (block release), while for a channelized debris flow it may be more
appropriate to use an input hydrograph. The later requires knowledge of the amount of material
that might flow past a certain location in the channel. Chapter 0 on page 82 includes several
examples for both types of starting conditions.

The definitions of release areas and release depths (block release) have a strong impact on the
simulation results. The same applies for simulations with a hydrograph, where the results are sen-
sitive to the discharge hydrograph. Therefore, we recommend to use reference information such

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

as photography, GPS measurements or field maps to draw release areas and to use measured or
well-estimated inflow data to define discharge hydrographs. This should be done by people with
experience concerning the topographic and historical flow situation of the investigation area.

More details on how to create release areas are given in section 3 . 5 . 1 , page 3 8 pp. Details on
how to use an input hydrograph are given in section 3 . 5 . 2 , page 4 1 pp.

3.1.4 Friction information

RAMMS employs a Voellmy-fluid friction model, which is based on the Voellmy-fluid approach (we
refer to Salm et al. 1990 and Salm 1993).

The choice of the friction parameters requires careful calibration (section 5 . 1 ) of the model by
using reference information such as field data, photographs of runout zones, estimations or meas-
urements of flow velocities and flow heights as well as estimations of the material composition.
This should be done by a person with expertise in debris flow characterization.

Physical friction model

The physical model of RAMMS::Debris Flow uses the Voellmy friction law. This model divides the fric-
tional resistance into two parts: a dry-Coulomb type friction (coefficient µ) that scales with the
normal stress and a velocity-squared drag or viscous-turbulent friction (coefficient ξ). The frictional
resistance S (Pa) is then

𝜌𝑔𝒖2 (3.1)
𝑆 = 𝜇𝑁 + with 𝑁 = 𝜌ℎ gcos(𝜙)
𝜉
where ρ is the density, g the gravitational acceleration, φ the slope angle, h the flow height and u
the vector u = (ux,uy)T, consisting of the flow velocity in the x- and y-directions. The normal stress
on the running surface, ρhgcos(φ), can be summarized in a single parameter N. The Voellmy model
accounts for the resistance of the solid phase (µ is sometimes expressed as the tangent of the inter-
nal shear angle) and a viscous or turbulent fluid phase (ξ was introduced by Voellmy by using hydro-
dynamic arguments). The friction coefficients are responsible for the behavior of the flow. µ domi-
nates when the flow is close to stopping, ξ dominates when the flow is running quickly.

Throughout one simulation, the friction coefficients µ and ξ of a calculation domain are constant.
However you have the possibility to add up to two polygons within the calculation domain with
different µ and ξ friction parameters (see exercise 3.5e ”How to run a calculation” on page 51pp.)

The Voellmy friction model has found wide application in the simulation of mass movements, es-
pecially snow avalanches. For modeling snow avalanches the Voellmy model has been in use in
Switzerland for many years and a set of standard parameters is available.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Yield stress

Since Version 1.6.20 the basic Voellmy equation has been modified to include a yield stress (cohesion)
(Bartelt et al. 2015). Many materials, like mud and snow, do not exhibit a simple linear relation (µ =
constant), see Figure 3-4. To model yield stress, we introduce the parameter N0. With this approach
it is possible to model ideal plastic materials. In this case N0 serves as a yield stress and µ a "hardening"
parameter. The new equation for the frictional resistance S is then

𝜌𝑔𝒖2 −
𝑁
𝑆 = 𝜇𝑁 + + (1 − 𝜇)𝑁0 − (1 − 𝜇)𝑁0 𝑒 𝑁0
𝜉

where N0 is the yield stress of the flowing material. Unlike a standard Mohr-Coulomb type relation
this formula ensures that S→0 when both N→0 and U→0. It increases the shear stress and therefore
causes the debris flow to stop earlier, depending on the value of N0.

Figure 3-4: Relation between normal and shear stress. Left: Yield stress N0 serves to increase
the shear stress for higher normal pressures. At low normal pressures (small flow heights)
the shear stress increases rapidly from S=0 to S=N0. The slope of the ‘S vs N’ relation remains
µ, when the normal pressures are large. Right: If µ=0, we have a visco-plasic behaviour.

Curvature
Since Version 1.6.20, the normal force N includes centrifugal forces arising from the terrain curvature.
We use the method proposed by Fischer et al. (2012) which was specifically developed for RAMMS.
The centrifugal acceleration ƒ is both a function of the flow velocity and terrain curvature. The accel-
eration is calculated according to

𝑓 = 𝒖𝑲𝒖𝑇

The matrix K describes the track curvature in all directions, including the track “twist”. The cen-
trifugal force is then

𝐹 = 𝜌ℎ𝑓
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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

which is added to the normal force N. Typically this increases the friction, causing the flow to slow
down in tortuous and twisted flow paths. It can change the location of the deposition once the flow
leaves the gully. Curvature may be activated/deactivated in the Run Simulation window (tab Params)
or via the menu ‘Help → Advanced… → Curvature’.

Calibration of the friction parameters µ and ξ

Although the data base for well documented debris flow events is smaller than the one for snow
avalanches, we have a good idea of the friction parameters which have to be used. The major
difficulty in case of debris flow simulation is the large variety of debris flow compositions, which has
a strong influence on the choice of the friction parameters. RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW uses a single-
phase model, so we cannot distinguish between fluid and solid phases and the material is modeled
as a bulk flow. Therefore, the friction parameters should be varied to match observed flow proper-
ties (for calibrating the model) or expected flow properties (if variation is expected as part of a
hazard scenario).

It is common that different events in the same torrent show strong differences in composition. This
fact makes the calibration of the friction parameters much more difficult and even requires a cali-
bration for different events. Therefore, we strongly recommend careful calibration of the friction
parameters by persons with expertise in debris flow characterization.

The calibration procedure of the Voellmy model is explained with an example in section 5 . 1 .

3.1.5 Erosion information

The erosion module in RAMMS predicts the depth of erosion of sediment caused by debris flows. Using
this option, it is possible to predict the increase in volume of a debris flow as it travels along a channel.
By erosion we mean the net decrease in the elevation of the channel bed as a consequence of the
entrainment of sediment from the bed. Here we provide a brief overview of the erosion module and
an example of using it. More details can be found in Frank et al. (2015, 2017).

The erosion module is based on a generalization of field observations from the Illgraben Debris Flow
observation station in Switzerland, based on repeated terrestrial laser scans by P. Schürch and Alex
Densmore, of Durham University. The field observations indicate that the depth of erosion increases
with flow strength e.g. with basal shear stress  (Schürch et al., 2011; Frank et al., 2015) and that the
rate of erosion can be quite rapid (Berger et al., 2011). Other observations indicate that small debris
flows do not always erode sediment (Berger et al., 2010, Schürch et al., 2011), so the model includes
a critical shear stress that permits erosion only when the shear stress in any given cell exceeds the
critical shear stress value for the onset of erosion c. The erosion algorithm predicts the maximum
potential depth of erosion em as a function of the computed basal shear stress in each grid cell:

𝑒𝑚 = 0 for 𝜏 < 𝜏𝑐

𝑑𝑧
𝑒𝑚 = (𝜏 − 𝜏𝑐 ) for 𝜏 ≥ 𝜏𝑐
𝑑𝜏

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

The potential erosion depth (per kPa) dz/d controls the rate of vertical erosion (in the z-direction) as
a linear function of channel-bed shear stress.

The sediment erosion rate in the field (Illgraben channel) was observed using sensors buried in the
channel bed (Berger et al., 2011) to be 0.025 m/s in the downward direction. Sediment is entrained
until the erosion depth em is reached:

𝑑𝑧
= 0.025 for 𝑒𝑡 ≤ 𝑒𝑚
𝑑𝑡

where et is the depth of erosion (relative to the start of the simulation) at time t and z is the vertical
coordinate.

If the shear stress in any given cell is exceeded after erosion takes place, then the maximum depth of
erosion (relative to the initial bed elevation at the start of the simulation) is automatically adjusted
and additional erosion can take place until the new value of em is reached. The elevation of the channel
bed does not change during the RAMMS simulation. Users can incorporate changes in topography due
to erosion or deposition, e.g. for further use in hazard modeling scenarios or event analyses, by select-
ing the post-processing options ‘Results → Add Deposition to DEM’ or ‘Results → Subtract Erosion from
DEM’ or both with ‘Results → Add Topographic Changes (Erosion/Deposition) to DEM’.

3.1.6 Calculation parameters

Calculation parameters, such as output name, simulation grid resolution, simulation (end) time,
time step etc. can be changed interactively in the RAMMS Run Simulation window.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.2 Preferences
To ease the file handling, we recommend setting the preferences prior to start with simulations. The
preferences set the path to the working directory and the necessary files such as DEM, maps and or-
thophotos. If the path to the maps and the imagery files is set correctly in the preferences, RAMMS
will automatically open the georeferenced data when you generate a new project.

Use Track → Preferences to open the RAMMS preferences window or click the button . For
resetting the general preferences use Help → Advanced… → Reset General Preferences.

Figure 3-5: General tab of RAMMS Figure 3-6: Debris Flow tab of RAMMS
preferences. preferences.

General Tab

Setting Purpose
Working Directory Set your working directory. VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE BLANKS
in the working directory path!
Map Directory Set the folder where you place your georeferenced digital maps
(consists of a .tif file and a corresponding .tfw file (world-file).
Orthophoto Directory Set the folder where you place your digital georeferenced orthopho-
tos (aerial picture, consists of a .tif file and a corresponding .tfw file
(world-file).
DEM Directory Set the folder where you place the Digital Elevation Models (format
ASCII grid)

Debris flow Tab

Setting Purpose
Read timesteps Choose between reading ALL or only 1 timestep.
Default is reading ALL timesteps.
Nr of colorbar colors Set default nr of colorbar colors.
GIF-Animation Interval [s] Set interval for GIF animation images in seconds.
Background Color Set background color (greyscale between 0:black and 255:white).
Animation Delay [s] Set animation delay to decelerate the animation speed.
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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

The following exercise Working directory shows how to choose a new working directory. All further
settings can be changed in a similar manner. The settings are saved, until they are changed again man-
ually.

Exercise 3.2 : Working directory

Choosing the right working directory is very useful and saves a lot of time searching for files and
folders.

VERY IMPORTANT: Do NOT use blanks or special characters in the path names!

• Click (or use Track → Preferences or Ctrl+P) to open the RAMMS preferences win-
dow.
• Click into the field Working directory. A window pops up where you can choose your new
working directory. Click OK in both windows. Do this also for other directories if necessary.

Figure 3-7: RAMMS preferences Figure 3-8: Browse for the correct
folder.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.3 Creating a new project

A new project is created with the RAMMS Project Wizard, shown in the exercise below. The Wizard
consists of four steps:

Exercise 3.3: How to create a new project

• Click or Track → New... → Project Wizard to open the RAMMS Project Wizard.
• The following window pops up.

Figure 3-9: RAMMS Project Wizard Step 1 of 4

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Continuation of exercise 3.3: How to create a new project

Step 1:
• Enter a project name (1)
• Add project details (2)
• The project location (3) suggested is the current working directory. To change the loca-
tion, click into the Location field. A second window appears and you can browse for a
different folder (see figure below)
VERY IMPORTANT: Do NOT use BLANKS or special characters in the project location path!
• Click Next (4)

1
2

Figure 3-10: Step 1 of the RAMMS Project Figure 3-11: Window to browse for a new
Wizard Project Information. project location.

Step 2:
• Click into the Select DEM-file field to
browse for the DEM file (ASCII or GEO-
TIFF). Locate your DEM file on your disk
or in the folder set in the RAMMS pref-
erences.
• The grid resolution of your DEM-file is 1
shown in (2). Change the resolution, if
needed (bilinear interpolation). 2
• Click Next. 3

Figure 3-12: Step 2 of the RAMMS Project

Wizard: GIS Information.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Continuation of exercise 3.3: How to create a new project

Step 3:
• RAMMS shows the coordinates of your DEM-file (1).
• Enter the X- and Y-coordinates of the lower left and upper right corner of your project
area, using any Cartesian coordinate system (e.g. the Swiss Coordinate System CH1903
LV03), as it is shown below for the Vallée de la Sionne area.
• You can clip the DEM by entering new boundary coordinates or by specifying a polygon
shapefile (2).
• Click Next (3).

2
3
Figure 3-13: Project coordinates: lower left
and upper right corner of project area. Figure 3-14: Step 3 of the RAMMS Project
Wizard: Project Boundary Coordinates.

Step 4:
• Check the project summary.
• To make changes click Previous, to cre-
ate the project click Create Project.

Figure 3-15: Step 4 of the RAMMS Project

Wizard: Project Summary.

Project creation:
• The creation process can take a while. Different status bars will pop up and show the
progress of the project creation process.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

The following files will be created in the project folder.

Figure 3-16: Project files

Table 3.1: Listing of files and directories created with a new RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW project.
File / Folder Purpose
doc (folder) Folder containing input and output log files
logfiles (folder) Project creation and calculation log files
dhm.tif GEOTIFF grid with altitude values
dhm.sav Height information used in RAMMS
_.db2 Input file
_.dom Calculation domain ASCII file
_.dom.shp Calculation domain shapefile
_.dom.shx Calculation domain shapefile
_.dom.dbf Calculation domain shapefile
_.xyz Topographic data used in RAMMS

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.4 Working with the RAMMS GUI

Once the project is created, there are several useful tools which can be helpful when working with
RAMMS. They are explained in the exercises below.

3.4.1 Open input- and output-files

The easiest way to open either input- or output-files is by using these toolbar buttons:

Figure 3-17: Toolbar button to open an input file. You can also use the menu Track → Open… →
Input File.

Figure 3-18: Toolbar button to open an output file. You can also use the menu Track → Open…
→ Avalanche Simulation.
Recent-Menu

The menu Track → Recent… allows you to directly open your 10 last accessed files (input and output),
without having to search for them.

3.4.2 Visualizing shapefiles and domain-files

There are different ways to visualize your project files (shapefiles and Domain-files). In the exercise
below, we will show these possibilities.

Exercise 3.4a : Visualizing shapefiles and Domain-files

a. Files tab in the right panel:

• Click on the Files tab in the right DEBRIS FLOW panel.

• In the file tree below, you will see your available project files (polygon and domain shape-
files.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-19: Files tab and available project files (file-tree, dashed red).
With the blue + button, files from external directories can be added to
the file-tree. Refresh the tree with the refresh-button.

• Click the checkbox (left of the filename) and the file will be shown in your visualization.

Figure 3-20: Selected file (Blockrelease.shp) on the right is shown in the visualization.

• You can select and visualize as many files as you like!

Shapefile Properties
• Line thickness, color or linestyle can be adjusted for every individual shapefile. Right-click
on a filename and choose Shapefile properties:

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-21: Right-click menus Shapefile properties, Release properties,

Set as hydrograph and Delete.

Figure 3-22: Use Shapefile properties to change line thickness, color or linestyle.

Release Properties
• Please see section 3.5.1 on page 38 on how to specify release area properties.

Set as hydrograph
• With this option you tell RAMMS, that this polygon shapefile is a hydrograph release area.
See section 3.5.2 on 41 for more about hydrographs.

Deposition analysis
• This function is only available in output mode. See section 4.2.2 on page 69 on how to do a
deposition analysis.

Delete
• Delete a file from disk.

b. Adding files to the project

You can add files to the visualization using one of these options:

• Add data: Use the button or the menu ‘GIS – Add data’ to add a shapefile. If this shapefile
is located outside of your project directory, it will be added to the files-tree.

• Add files from folder: Use the button (Add files from external directory) below the file-
tree to add all the files from an external directory to the file-tree. These files are added
during this RAMMS session. After you exit and restart RAMMS, you have to add the files
again.

• Drag & Drop: see next section.

c. Drag & Drop:

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

It’s possible to Drag & Drop the following files onto the main visualization window:

• Input files (.db2)

• Output files (.out.gz)
• Polygon shapefiles (.shp)
• Domain shapefiles (.shp)

3.4.3 Hillshade visualization

Use Extras → Create Hillshade Image to create a hillshade visualization. For this we follow the instruc-
tions from ArcGIS at

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/tools/spatial-analyst-toolbox/how-hillshade-works.htm

to calculate the hillshade representation of your DEM, see Figures below.

Figure 3-23 DEM surface visualization (with shadows) after creating a new project in RAMMS

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-24 Visualization after creating and adding the hillshade image to RAMMS

3.4.4 Changing maps and orthophotos (aerial images)

It is possible to change the map or orthophotos of a project anytime. Take into account, that the
corresponding .tfw-file (world-file) has to be in the same folder as the actual map (.tif). If this is not the
case, the map will not be found!

To check which map and orthophoto is currently loaded in the project, open the project input (or out-
put) log (Project → Input Log File). Next to MAP / ORTHOPHOTO INFO you will find the location and
name of the loaded map and orthophoto, respectively.

Exercise 3.4b : How to add or change maps and orthophotos

d. Add or change a map:

• Go to Extras → Add/Change Map or click .

• If more than one map is found, the following window pops up, listing the maps found:

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-25: Window to choose map image.

Information on the image dimensions (x-Dim and y-Dim, pixel) and size (in MB) are pro-
vided and might be a selection criterion.
• Select the map you wish to add and click Load selected map.

e. Map not found:

• If the question "No map found, continue search?" appears, you either don’t have an
appropriate map, the map-folder directory is not set ( o r wrong) or the map is saved in a
different folder. In the second case click Yes and choose the correct folder. A window
pops up to browse for the correct map location and file.
• Or click No to cancel search.

f. Change remote sensing imagery:

• Go to Extras →Add/Change Image or click .

3.4.5 Moving, resizing, rotating, viewing

Exercise 3.4c: Moving and resizing the model

a. Terrain model has a dimension of 100% or smaller:

• By clicking on the arrow the model can be moved and resized.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-26: Active project with lines and corners for resizing.

• To move the model without changing size or aspect ratio, move the cursor to the
model and check if the cursor turns to . Then click and hold the left mouse
button and drag the model to the desired position.
• To resize the model without changing the aspect ratio, use the mouse wheel to zoom
in or out. Alternatively, you can resize the model by changing the percentage value in
the horizontal toolbar .

b. Terrain model has a dimension > 100%:

• All steps explained above are still possible.

• In addition to this, the white hand right next to the rotation button becomes active as
well. After clicking on this so-called view pan button , it is also possible to move
the model.

Exercise 3.4d: Rotating the model

After activating the rotation button , the model can be rotated along the rotation axis,
by moving the cursor directly on one of the axis until the cursor changes from to . Otherwise
a freehand rotation in any direction is possible.

Figure 3-27: Active project with rotation axes.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Exercise 3.4e: How to switch between 2D and 3D mode

Click to switch from 3D to 2D view. This button then changes to and by clicking again, you
will return to 3D view.

Figure 3-28: 3D view of example model. Figure 3-29: 2D view of example model.

In 2D mode you have all possibilities that work for the 3D mode. It works for input files as well as
for simulations. For the following functions of RAMMS it is necessary to switch from 3D to 2D
view:

INPUT: OUTPUT:
• Draw new polygon shapefile • Draw new polygon shapefile

• Release area formation • Draw new line profile

• Draw new domain • Measure distance and angle

• Measure distance and angle

3.4.6 Colorbar
As soon as a parameter is shown in the project, the colorbar appears on the right side of the
main window. It can be turned on and off by clicking on .

The colorbar can be moved anywhere in the screen (and can get lost). Use Project → Get
Colorbar to find a lost colorbar.

Exercise 3.4f: Editing the colorbar

Changing the minimum and maximum values of the colorbar as well as changing the number
of colors used is done in the panel DEBRISFLOW (right of the map window).

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

2
1
3

Figure 3-30 Colorbar and visualization properties

• 1) Simply type a new value into the respective field and hit the return key on the key-
board. The display will then be refreshed.
• 2) To view the underlying topography or image, you can change the transparency by
entering a value or moving the slider.
• 3) Simulation contour lines: Contour lines of simulation results can be visualized.
Default contour levels are:
- Flow height (m): 1.0 2.0 3.0 5.0 10.0 (H_CONTOUR_LEVELS)
- Velocity (m/s): 1.0 5.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 (V_CONTOUR_LEVELS)
- Pressure (kPa): 1.0 3.0 10.0 30.0 100.0 (P_CONTOUR_LEVELS)

Figure 3-31: Simulation contour lines

You can change these contour levels by adding the following lines in the Add. Preferences (be-
fore the END tag):

Example:
H_CONTOUR_LEVELS 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
V_CONTOUR_LEVELS 5.0 10.0 50.0
P_CONTOUR_LEVELS 3.0 10.0 30.0

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Changing colorbar color and position:

• Open the editing window by either choosing

Edit → Colorbar Properties or clicking in
the vertical toolbar.
• To change the colorbar properties simply click
into the field you want to change, then click OK.

• Under Edit → Colorbar White Color the text-

color of the colorbar can be changed to white.
This can be useful when changing the back- Figure 3-32: The Colorbar Properties
ground color of your project to white Track → window.
Preferences → Debris flow Tab → Background
Color.

3.4.7 How to save input files and program settings

Once a project is created, it is saved under the name and location you entered during step 1 of
the RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW Project Wizard (see figure 3.9 on page 26). The created input file has the
ending *.db2.

The second situation, in which the input file is saved automatically, is when a calculation is started.
The saved input file has the same name as the created output file.

Exercise 3.4g: How to save input files and program settings manually

a. Input file:
• In case you want to save the input file manually before running a calculation, go on Track
→ Save. This is helpful when a release area was loaded but you wish to close the project
before doing the simulation.
• If you wish to save a copy of your file under a new name, go to Track → Save
Copy As or click .
• A window pops up to choose an old file which should be overwritten or to type in a new
name, then click Save.

b. Program settings
• If you have moved and/or or rotated your project for a better view, you can save this
position by going on Extras → Save Active Position.
• You can now get back to this position anytime by choosing Extras → Reload Position.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Exercise 3.4h : How to open an input file

• Go to Track → Open → Input File, click or use Ctrl+O.

• A window opens to browse for a debris flow input file (.db2).
• Click Open after the file name was selected.
• The project will be opened.
• Alternatively, you can drag & drop the input file from your windows explorer onto the
RAMMS GUI.

Exercise 3.4i : How to visualize a shapefile

• To visualize a shapefile, go to GIS → Ad d d a ta or click .

• A window opens to browse for a shapefile (*.shp).
• Click Open after the file was selected.
• Alternatively, you can drag & drop the shapefile from your windows explorer onto the
RAMMS GUI.

Exercise 3.4j : How to open an output file/debris flow simulation

• Go to Track → Open... → Debris Flow Simulation, click or use Ctrl+A.

• A window opens to browse for a debris flow simulation file (*.out.gz)
• Click OK
• The simulation will be opened.
• Alternatively, you can drag & drop the output file from your windows explorer onto the
RAMMS GUI.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.4.8 About RAMMS

Some information about the RAMMS installation on your computer is found here: Help → About
RAMMS. If you click on the Info-Button left of the OK-Button, RAMMS will display the RAMMS-
License Agreement

Figure 3-33: About RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.5 Running a simulation

To run a calculation or a specific scenario within a newly created project (creating a project see
section 4.3) it is necessary to

• define a release area or an input hydrograph,

• an erosion area (not mandatory),
• a calculation domain and
• friction parameters µ and ξ.

The definition of a smaller calculation domain is especially useful to keep the number of calculation
grid cells as small as possible, that is, it is best to test what the flow path of a simulation will be to
limit the calculation domain to this extent. The exercises below show you how to create a release
area, how to use an input hydrograph and how to create a calculation domain. A simulation also
requires a set of friction parameters. Details on the friction model used in RAMMS::Debris Flow are
given in section 3.1.4. How to calibrate the friction values is explained on page 82.

3.5.1 Release area

There are different possibilities to include a release area into the project. The following table gives an
overview of the possibilities RAMMS offers. For further explanations see the exercises below.

Create a new release area If there is no release area available for your pro-
(exercise 3.5a) ject, or you wish to create a new one, switch to
2D mode and click (Draw new polygon shape-
file)
Open an existing polygon shapefile Use the file-tree in the right-hand panel (Files)
(exercise 3.5b) and click the shapefile you want to visualize. Or,
use the ‘Add data’ button or menu to visualize
a shapefile from another source.

Exercise 3.5a : How to create a new release area (polygon shapefile)

• Switch to 2D mode by clicking .

• Activate the project by clicking on the map once.
• Click (Draw new polygon shapefile).
• Click into the project where you want to start drawing the outline of the release poly-
gon.
• Continue drawing the release polygon by moving the cursor and clicking the left mouse
button.
• To end the release polygon, click the right mouse button. The polygon will be closed
automatically.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-34: Project with emerging release area.

Before the release area is created, you have to answer a few questions:

• Add more polygon areas?

You can either answer with Yes and create a second release polygon as explained
above or answer with No and continue with the next step.
• Choose a new polygon shapefile name:
Enter a new name for the polygon area(s). The ending .shp is added automatically.

The polygon shapefile will now be created and opened directly. The colorbar is not yet shown,
because you have to define a release depth first (in case of a block release, see next exercise),
or you have to define the polygon area as a hydrograph area (see exercise 3.5c, no colorbar
needed).

Exercise 3.5b : How to open an existing release area (polygon shapefile)

• Use the file-tree in the right-hand panel (Files) and click the shapefile you want to vis-
ualize (see chapter 3.4.1.).
• Alternatively, you can use the Add data button or menu ‘GIS → Add data’ to add a
shapefile from another source than your project directory to your visualization.

Once a polygon area is created or opened, you can specify the release depth (in case of a block release).
Switch to 2D mode, choose Input → Release area... → Details/Edit release area , click the button
or right-click the polygon shapefile in the Files-Tab and choose Release properties, and choose the
release area polygon by selecting it with the left mouse button. The appearing window yields infor-
mation about release area, mean slope angle, mean altitude and estimated release volume. And, most
importantly, the release depth can be entered, see exercise below.

Additional release information is found in the Debris Flow panel, tab Volumes (Figure 3-35 and Figure
3-36) below.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-35 : Block release area and Figure 3-36: Hydrograph area and volume
volume information. information.

Exercise 3.5b : Specify release depth and view release information (block release)

• Switch to 2D mode by clicking .

• Activate the project by clicking on the topography once.
• Click on the View/Edit release area button (1), (in the horizontal toolbar or in the
volumes tab in the panel), choose Input → Release area... → Details/Edit release
area or right-click the shapefile in the Files tab and select Release properties.
• Then click on the release area you want to get information on (2). A red polygon is
drawn around the selected release area. The following window appears:

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-37: View/Edit release area

• Enter a release depth in the field Release depth d0 (m). The corresponding release volume
is updated automatically.
• Additionally, the following release area parameter are shown: mean slope angle, mean
altitude, projected area and inclined (real) area.
• A release delay in (s) can be specified in the last line.

Remark: The estimated release volume is very accurate for the grid resolution of your input project.
If you calculate a different simulation resolution, the estimation can differ from the calculated re-
lease volume.

3.5.2 Input hydrograph

To simulate channelized debris flows it is advantageous to use an input hydrograph. However, this
requires knowledge of the amount of material (discharge) that flows past at a given location. For a
RAMMS simulation with a hydrograph you have two options. Either you know the discharge at differ-
ent times at a given location, e.g. estimated by measured flow heights and corresponding channel cross
sections, or you use the estimated total volume in combination with empirical relationships between
total volume and maximum discharge (e.g. Rickenmann et al. 1999).

Field measurement of debris flow properties is beyond the scope of this manual, however, if debris
flow activity in a catchment is frequent, it may be possible to obtain additional information for cali-
brating RAMMS by installing a monitoring station. Many debris flows, when the monitoring data are
simplified, have a relatively simple triangular wave-like shape (Figure 3-38). Assuming a well-estimated

41
CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

total volume (e.g. field data), maximum debris flow discharge (Q) and corresponding time (t1), as well
as the end time (t2) can be calculated. We call this a three-point hydrograph calculation.

In nature, discharge hydrographs are generally better described by four points (Figure 3-39 and Figure
3-40). However, a three-point hydrograph results in slightly larger flow heights and flow velocities after

Figure 3-38: Three-point hydrograph with total volume of debris flow.

the maximum discharge. If the detailed discharge hydrograph is not known it is useful to choose a
three-point hydrograph. In critical applications we encourage users to evaluate the sensitivity of the
model results to the shape of the input hydrograph, e.g. when preparing different scenarios as a basis
for hazard maps.

Figure 3-39: Four-point hydrograph for discharge values of an event,

August 2, 2005, at Illgraben,Valais, Switzerland.
Figure 3-40: Comparison of a three-point with a four-point hydrograph 42
for the given discharge data with the same total volume.
CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Input data for a discharge hydrograph

In RAMMS::Debris Flow one has the option to enter up to 10 points to define an input hydrograph. It
requires discharge Q, time t and velocity v at different times. A three-point hydrograph for the event
shown in Figs. 4.24 and 4.25 might look as following:

Table 3.2: Data for discharge hydrograph.

Time t [s] Discharge Q [m3/s] Velocity v [m/s]
Point 0 0 0 6
Point 1 2.2 8.8 6

Point 2 1500 0 3

The other option is to define total volume Vtot, corresponding maximum discharge Qmax and time when
the maximum discharge occurs tmax. The time of maximum discharge is typically observed just upslope

Figure 3-41: Edit hydrograph table. The checkbox (red rectangle) must
be set to be able to edit the hydrograph table.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

of the leading edge of the flow, probably on the order of a few seconds to perhaps a few 10’s of sec-
onds after the arrival of a debris flow at any given location. This allows the calculation of the time at
which the total volume passed the hydrograph location (tend). Discharge is linearly interpolated be-
tween known Q-values.

In both cases, the inflow direction has to be defined, which is described as the angle in counterclock-
wise direction from the x-coordinate of the topographic data (Figure 3-42).

Figure 3-42: Definition of inflow direction of an input hydrograph.

Exercise 3.5c: How to use the input hydrograph

Hydrograph location and calculation domain

• Draw a polygon area which extends over the potential debris flow width with the ‘Draw new
polygon shapefile’ tool (see section 3.5.1) where you want to place the input hydrograph
(Figure 3-55). Be sure your release area covers several grid cells!! The input will initially
flow downhill perpendicular to the line. Name your release area accordingly.
• Right-click your release area shapefile and choose Set as hydrograph.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-43: Beam shaped polygon area (red rectangle) for the input hydrograph inside the
calculation domain (green line).

• Draw a calculation domain (see section 3.5.4), such that the area of the input hydrograph
is located inside the domain

Enter data of discharge hydrograph

• Once you start to RUN a calculation (see section 3.5.4) you can enter the discharge hydro-
graph information in the corresponding tab Hydrograph. For details on how to enter the
hydrograph data see beginning of this section 3.5.2.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.5.3 Erosion

To include one or several erosion areas in the simulation, do the following:

• Draw polygon shapefiles for varying erosion areas. Use Input → Polygon shapefile → Draw New
Polygon Shapefile to do this.
• Open the Run Simulation window, change to the Erosion Tab and start to enter the erosion
characteristics.

1. Select shapefile
2. Choose/select parameters, see Table 3.3 below for details.
3. Click the + button to add your selection to the Erosion Shapefile List.

…do the same for every shapefile you want to use.

Figure 3-44: Erosion Tab

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Erosion Parameters

Table 3.3: Parameters for erosion areas.

Erosion density: We suggest to use the default density (or the density that you selected in
(kg/m3) the Params tab) unless you have more detailed information.

Erosion rate: The rate at which debris flows entrain material from the sediment bed.
(m/s, default 0.025) There are very few values available from the field (see Frank et al.), so we
propose using a constant value based on the work published by Berger et
• Loose, wet sediment al., 2011 (0.025 m/s), for the Illgraben torrent (erosion rates measured
(0.05 m/s) using sensors buried in the channel bed). This is a rate that the model will
• Normal (0.025 m/s)
use for entrainment until the predicted erosion depth is reached. Increas-
• Densely packed sedi-
ment (0.013 m/s)
ing this value will cause sediment to be entrained at a faster rate, poten-
tially resulting in relatively large debris flow snouts.

Pot. erosion depth: This parameter controls the maximum potential erosion depth (variable em
(per kPa, default 0.1) in the paper by Frank et al.) as a function of the maximum shear stress
reached in each cell. This value actually is the slope of the line which relates
• deep (0.2 per kPa) em to the maximum shear stress calculated for each cell. By changing the
• medium (0.1 per kPa) value of this parameter to e.g. 0.2 (menu choice deep) you will double the
• shallow (0.05 per kPa)
maximum potential erosion depth.

Critical shear stress: This is the value at which erosion can start occurring. It might be reasona-
(kPa, default 1.0) ble to expect that a channel bed consisting of interlocked boulders would
have a larger critical shear stress, while a channel bed of saturated sandy
• low (0.5 kPa) gravel would have a lower value. Our value is just a curve fit to the data
• medium (1.0 kPa) reported by Schürch et al. (2011).
• high (1.5 kPa)

Max erosion depth: Here we can set a maximum thickness of the layer of erodible sediment if
(m, default 0.0) such data are available (e.g. in some cases we may know that there is only
a limited amount of sediment available). The default value is 0.0, meaning
that the erosion algorithm is calculating the max erosion depth itself.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

3.5.4 Calculation Domain

To reduce calculation time, you can specify a smaller calculation domain to reduce the number of com-
putational cells. By analyzing a calculation with a coarse grid (large cell size), e.g. with a cell size of 5 or
10 m, you get an idea where the flow path is situated and you can limit the calculation domain to the
area of interest.

Switch to 2D mode and choose Input → Calculation Domain... → Draw New Domain or click . Now
you can draw a polygon containing the area of interest similar to drawing a new polygon area (see
exercise "Create release area" on page 38). We strongly recommend using smaller calculation domains
especially if you calculate with small cell sizes (e.g. < 5m).

Figure 3-45: Calculation domain in green encloses the area of interest and reduces
calculation time incomparison with the default rectangular domain which is automatically
generated.

Exercise 3.5d : Finding an optimized calculation domain

• Open your input file.

• Draw a rough calculation domain as explained above, see Figure 3-46 below.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-46: Input file with a rough calculation domain

• Do a rough calculation with a simulation resolution of 4m (instead of 2m, e.g.).

• Wait for the simulation to finish. The simulation result will be displayed.
• Click the Max Flow Height button .

Figure 3-47: Max Flow Height of a 4m simulation

• Click GIS → Export… → Create Envelope Shapefile

• Question: Use buffer?
• Click Yes. We want to use the envelope shapefile as a calculation domain, and there-
fore we want to buffer it a little bit. Click No if you want to have the exact Envelope
Shapefile of your output result. Beware: the MIN-value of your colorbar will be used as
the lower limit for the Envelope Shapefile!
• Choose a filename for the envelope shapefile (a name is proposed, including the MIN-
value of your colorbar, if you want an exact envelope).
• The created envelope shapefile is shown in the visualization as a dashed red line.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-48: Envelope shapefile (dashed red line) of Max Flow Height extent

• Switch back to the input file

• Use Input → Calculation Domain… → Load Existing Domain to load your envelope
shapefile as a new calculation domain, see Figure 3-49 below.

Figure 3-49: Input file with optimized calculation domain (envelope shapefile)

• Now redo your simulation with a simulation resolution of 2m.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Figure 3-50: Max Flow Height result of a 2m simulation

• In this example, the much smaller new calculation domain saves 50% !!!!! of the
computational time.

3.5.5 How to run a calculation

To run a calculation you have to open a created project (section 3.3), load a release area (section 3.5.1),
and draw a calculation domain (section 3.5.4). Below you find an example for running a calculation
with constant release height and constant friction parameters µ and ξ.

Exercise 3.5e: How to run a calculation

• To run a simulation choose Run → Run Calculation or click

• The RAMMS | Run Simulation window opens. Before clicking Run Simulation, you should
check the input parameters.

General Tab:

- SCENARIO Name
(1) Scenario output name: Choose a meaningful output filename, add parameter information
to the filename to recognize the output file.
(2) Save Max Values Only: If you want to save disk space and if the max values are all you are
interested in, then use this feature. After a simulation finished, all ASCII files (deposition,
max flowheight, max velocity and max pressure) are exported automatically. The simulation
results cannot be visualized in RAMMS.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

- Additional Information

(3) Project name:

(4) Details: Add valuable project infor-

mation to this field.
1
(5) Calculation domain. 2

(6) Digital elevation info: Digital elevation 3

model (DEM) file. 4
5
- Stop Criteria
6
(7) Momentum stopping criterion, see sec-
tion 4.2.5 on page 74. 7
(8) Center of mass stopping criterion, see 8
section 4.2.5 on page 74.
9
- Remarks

(9) “Escape” and “Ctrl+R” can be used to 10

cancel resp. start a simulation.

(10)Check box Run in background: Option

to run simulations in background Figure 3-51 General Information
mode. The RAMMS interface remains
active and allows the user to start e.g.
new simulations.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Continuation of exercise 3.5e: How to run a simulation

Params Tab

(1) Simulation Parameters

• Sim resolution: Change, if necessary.
The resolution should always be cho-
1
sen so that important features of the
terrain are represented in the terrain
model. High resolution grids will ex-
tend your calculation time.
2

• End time: Choose simulation end time.

• Dump-step: The dump-step interval

defines the resolution of the animation
of your simulation but has no effect on
the simulation results.

• Density: Keep the default value for

density if no further information on
the debris flow material is available
(2000 kg/m3).
Figure 3-52: Parameter Tab

(2) Miscellaneous Parameters

• Obstacle/Dam File: Draw polygons of areas, where no flow should pass (houses, deflecting
dams, obstacles). The flow is deflected.

• Curvature: Switch Curvature on or off. Since Version 1.6.20, the normal force N includes
centrifugal forces arising from the terrain curvature. We use the method proposed by
Fischer et al. (2012) which was specifically developed for RAMMS. Typically, this increases
the friction, causing the flow to slow down in tortuous and twisted flow paths.
See https://ramms.slf.ch/en/modules/avalanche/theory/friction-parameters.html for
more information.

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Continuation of exercise 3.5e: How to run a simulation

MuXi Tab

(1) Enter the friction parameters μ and . Start

first scenario simulation with default val-
ues (μ = 0.2,  = 200 m/s2). More infor-
mation on frictional resistance is given in
sections 3.1.4 and 5.1.

(2) Check box Define Additional MuXi Areas: 1

if you want to add polygon regions with dif- 2
ferent μ and  values. e.g. to represent sig-
nificant changes in the channel, heavily
forested areas or perhaps smooth roads.
Load the corresponding polygon shapefiles
and define μ and  for up to two additional 3
regions. Be very careful in using this fea-
ture!

(3) Yield Stress: Define a polygon area where

you want to use an additional yield stress
(cohesion). Specify a yield stress in the
Yield stress (Pa) field. See section 3.1.4 on
page 16 for more details about yield stress.

Figure 3-53: MuXi Tab

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Continuation of exercise 3.5e: How to run a simulation – Hydrograph/Block release

Release - Hydrograph Tab

The default RELEASE mechanism for debris flows is a HYDROGRAPH!

(1) Use BLOCK release (Check box): As an al-

ternative to a simulation with a hydro-
graph.
(2) Hydrograph Help
(3) Hydrograph/Release Shapefile(s): Release
shapefile(s). If more than one shapefile is 1
specified, a button is shown. A tooltip
will show the additional shapefile names 2
when moving the mouse over the button.
(4) Inflow direction (degrees): Define the in- 3
flow direction of the debris flow at the hy-
4
drograph input location. Click the info but-
ton for a detailed description of inflow di- 5
rection.
(5) 3-Point Hydrograph Calculation: Define a 6
discharge hydrograph by entering total vol- 7
ume V (maximum discharge Qmax is calcu-
lated automatically according to Ricken-
mann, 1999), corresponding time at which
the maximum occurs (tmax) and velocity v.
End time (tend) of the input hydrograph is
automatically calculated.
(6) Edit hydrograph table (Check box): Acti-
vates the table (7) and is an alternative to Figure 3-54: Hydrograph Tab
a 3-Point Hydrograph Calculation (5).

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

1
Release - Block Release Tab

(1) Use BLOCK release (Check box): Click this

checkbox to do a block release simulation. 2
(2) Block Release Help
(3) Subtract release height from DEM (Check 3
box): Subtracts the release height from the
DEM and uses a new DEM for the calcula-
tion.
(4) Shapefile and Volume Information: Over- 4
view of all used release areas with volume,
depths and delays, as well as the total re-
lease volume.

Figure 3-55: Hydrograph Tab

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Continuation of exercise 3.5e: How to run a simulation – Erosion

Erosion Tab

(1) Erosion Shapefile: Specify your erosion

shapefile area.
(2) Erosion Parameters: Specify erosion pa-
rameters. Use dropdown menus to select
parameter values. See section 0 on page
1
46 for more details about erosion param-
eters.
(3) Add to list button: Click the button to add
2
your erosion shapefile and parameters to
your erosion list.
(4) Erosion shapefile list: List of erosion
shapefiles and parameters. You can delete
single entries or the whole list with the
buttons Delete and Clear List. 3
(5) Run Simulation Button

Figure 3-56: Erosion Tab

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CHAPTER 3: SETTING UP A SIMULATION

Continuation of exercise 3.5e: How to run a simulation – Start Simulation

• Click run simulation (Figure 3-56)

• If you want to start multiple simulations automatically (e.g. overnight) use Track → New… →
Run Batch Simulations. You can choose how many computational cores the Batch-Mode
should use.
• The following window appears, showing the status of the calculation (Figure 3-57)
(1) General information of the simulation, (2) output file, (3) starting the calculation (4) for
every time step RAMMS calculates the maximal values (height, velocity and pressure) as well
as the outflow mass, the moving momentum and the flow volume.

Figure 3-57: Standard output log window.

Press any button

Figure 3. 3-58: Background simulation mode window.

Press any button to close the DOS window.

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CHAPTER 4: Setting up a simulation

3.5.6 How to run BATCH calculations

If you want to start several simulations automatically (e.g. overnight) use Track → New… → Run
Batch Simulations. You can choose how many computational cores the Batch-Mode should use. It’s
even possible, to create a new directory for every single batch-simulation.

Please do the following to prepare input files for Batch-Simulations:

• Open an input file from your project, and open the "Run Simulation" window (the big green
button on the left vertical toolbar).
• In the "Run Simulation" window, go through all the tabs, and set all the necessary input spec-
ifications.
• Then, instead of starting a simulation, click "Cancel" (this will close the "Run Simulation" win-
dow), and then click the "Save Copy As" Button (or Track → Save Copy As), and save a new
input file (enter a meaningful name, .db2 file).
• Do the procedure above for every scenario you want to calculate. Then start the batch-pro-
cess and choose your input file. You can also choose input files from different directories
(projects).

Figure 3-59: Batch-Simulations

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CHAPTER 4: Results

4 Results
Once the simulation is finished, the simulation as well as the output logfile (see Figure 4-3) are opened
in RAMMS (if you ran the simulation in background mode, see Figure 3. 3-58, click any button inside
the DOS window to close the window. Afterwards, open the simulation in RAMMS manually).

Figure 4-1: Main window in output mode.

If mass flows out of the calculation domain, RAMMS shows an alert (Figure 4-2). To get reliable results
you should enlarge your calculation domain (see section 3.5.4).

Figure 4-2: Outflow volume alert.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

4.1 Project information

Once a scenario within a specific project is calculated it is possible to open the output logfile (in output
mode) including project settings and information as well as calculation specifications. You can open
the project’s output log with Project →Output Log File. A window as shown in Figure 4-3 opens. This
window provides information about your project and is the first thing to look at after running a simu-
lation to check your simulation results.

(1) Information on simulation

time and resolution. Be sure
the simulation stopped due
to LOW FLUX or CENTER of
MASS. Otherwise the output
TIME END CONDITION in- 1
forms you, that your simula-
tion stopped before the de-
bris flow reached the stop-
ping criteria you defined for
2
the simulation (see section
4.2.5 on page 74).

(2) Information on simulation

results.

(3) Input logfile (see Figure 4-4).

Figure 4-3: Output Logfile.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

The input logfile (included in the output logfile), however, can already be opened once a project is
created and before a simulation is performed.

There are two ways to view your project settings and information. First you can open your project’s
input logfile (or output logfile, in output mode), or you can check your project’s region extent and area
in the debris flow panel in the region tab.

You can open the project’s input log file with Project →
Input Log File. The following window opens:

This window provides information about all your pro-

ject’s input specifications, like number of nodes and
cells, release areas, which DTM was used, the loaded
map and orthophotos as well as your global simulation
parameters.

Figure 4-4: RAMMS Project Input Log

file.

To view the project coordinates, click the re-

gion tab in your debris flow panel. The region
tab lists X- and Y-Coordinates of the lower left
(minimal values) and upper right (maximal
values) corner (these are coordinates you en-
tered when creating the project) as well as
the global minimum and maximum altitude (Z
value). Additionally, the total region area is
shown (in km2).

Figure 4-5: Region extent (X-, Y- and Z-

Coordinates, total area).

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CHAPTER 4: Results

4.2 Visualization and analysis of the results

This section gives a short overview on what is possible in RAMMS to view and analyze the simulation
results. The interpretation of the results has to be done by an expert who is familiar with the local as
well as with the topographic and meteorological situation of the investigation area.

RAMMS is a model and every model is a simplification of reality, therefore the simulation results should
not be analyzed without questioning them. We strongly recommend that all users perform sensitivity
studies.

4.2.1 Visualize different parameters

The drop-down menu Results offers the following functions:

• Flow Height
• Flow Velocity
• Flow Pressure
• Flow Momentum
• Erosion
• Max values (Height , Velocity , Pressure , Momentum, Shear Stress, Erosion)
• DEM Adaptions (Add Deposition to DEM)
• Flow Analysis (Summary of Moving Mass)
• Friction Values (µ, ξ)

These results are all visualized in the topography. See exercise “Displaying calculation values” below.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Exercise 4.2a: Displaying calculation values

The maximum values of flow height, velocity and pressure give a good overview of the dimension of
the debris flow. You find them under
Results → Max values…

→ Max flow height

→ Max velocity
→ Max pressure

Figure 4-6: Results: Maximum values of flow height (left), velocity (middle) and pressure
(right)

The flow height can be visualized exaggerated by a factor. Click Help → Advanced… →Additional
Preferences… →Edit to change the factor of the quasi 3D-visualization of the flow height under the
keyword EXAGGERATION.

Figure 4-7: Quasi 3D-Visualization of flow height (left: exaggeration 1; right: exaggeration 5).

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Line profile plot and time plot

In the horizontal toolbar you find two further functions:

• Line Profile
• Time Plot

Line profile plot

A line profile is a good analysis tool, if the flow height, velocity or pressure should be known at a specific
location. The graph shows the currently active parameter. Every line profile is saved in the file
profile.shp in the project directory. If you want to keep this line profile, you have to save it, see exercise
“How to draw a line profile” below.

Time plot

This function provides a time plot at a single point. This is helpful when it is of interest to know the
values and maximum values at a specific location (e.g. at a building, dam, or a tree) through time. Every
point is saved in the file point.shp and a point-info file point_info.txt is additionally saved in the project
directory. If you want to keep this point, you have to save it, see exercise “How to create a time plot”
below. The point-info file can be visualized with Extras → Point… → View Point Info File.

Flow discharge

From version 1.7.0 on it is possible to calculate the flow discharge when drawing a line profile (cross
profile). See line profile exercise below.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Exercise 4.2b: How to draw a line profile

a) Draw a new line profile:
• Switch to 2D mode by clicking
• Activate the project by clicking on it once, then click or choose Extras → Profile → Draw
New Line Profile
• Define the line profile in the same way you specify a new release area. Finish the line profile
with a right-mouse click.
• Calculate flow discharge? Answer with YES, and the flow discharge is calculated and shown in
the line profile plot, see below (Beware: this can be time consuming!).
• A window opens, displaying the line profile.

Figure 4-8: Line profile plot, with calculated flow discharge.

− Filled grey area active parameter (scale on left side).

− Red line active parameter (multiplied by 50) added to the track
profile (altitude, scale on the right side).
− Black line track profile (altitude, scale on the right side).
− Bottom scale projected profile distance (in m).

• If you change the active parameter, min or max values or the dump-step in RAMMS, the plot
is directly updated. You can also start the simulation and then watch the time variations in
your line profile plot.
• It makes sense to either draw a profile line perpendicular to the flow direction or draw the
line along the flow path. Basically, every profile path is possible.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Continuation of exercise 4.2b: How to draw a line profile

Figure 4-9: Line profile perpendicular to Figure 4-10: Line profile along the debris flow
debris flow direction. direction.

• To save the coordinates of the points belonging to the line profile, go on Extras → Profile → Save
Line Profile Points and enter a file name.
• To save the line profile parameters (distance in m and the active parameter, e.g. the flow height in
m) at the current dump-step, go on Extras → Profile → Export Profile Plot Data and enter a file
name.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Continuation of exercise 4.2b: How to draw a line profile

b) Load an existing line profile:
• Switch to 2D view by clicking
• Activate the project by clicking on it once and click or choose Extras → Profile → Draw
New Line Profile
• Click the middle mouse button once
• A window pops up and you can browse for the line profile you wish to open

Exercise 4.2c: How to create a time plot

a) Select time plot point:
• Click or choose Extras → Point → Choose Point
• Click into the map at the point where you want to create a time plot.
• A window opens, displaying the time plot at the point of interest (active parameter vs. time).
Flowheight is always combined with Velocity, whereas Velocity, Pressure or Momentum are
always combined with Flowheight.

Figure 4-11: Time plot window.

• To save the point coordinates, choose Extras → Point → Save point Location and enter a file
name
• To save the time plot data (time in s and the active parameter, e.g. the flow height, for every
dump-step), choose Extras → Point → Export Point Plot Data and enter a file name.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Continuation of exercise 4.2c: How to create a time plot

b) Load a time plot:
• To reopen the time plot graph window of the last selected point, go on Extras → Point → Cre-
ate Point Time Plot
• To open an arbitrary time plot that was saved any time before, click .
• Click the middle mouse button once.
• A window pops up and you can browse for the time plot file you wish to open.

c) Enter point coordinates and get a time plot:

• Go to Extras → Point → Enter Point Coordinates (X/Y)
• Enter X-coordinates of your point of interest. Click OK.
• Enter Y-coordinates of your point of interest. Click OK.
• The time plot opens.

4.2.2 Deposition analysis

A deposition analysis (flow height) for a region of interest (ROI) can be done in the following way:

• right-click the shapefile you want to analyze

• choose Deposition analysis

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Figure 4-12: Deposition analysis of region of interest.

Figure 4-13: Result of a deposition analysis. Total deposition volume (m 3)

as well as some statistical values are shown (min, mean, max).

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CHAPTER 4: Results

4.2.3 Google Earth Export

You need to have the Google Earth Software installed on your PC/laptop, otherwise you cannot use
this feature. The use of Google Earth is for free.

It’s possible to export your result to Google Earth. The default settings are for Switzerland. If your
project region is within Switzerland, you are lucky, and all you have to do is visualize the result you
want, and then using Extras → Google Earth… → Export Result to Google Earth.

Figure 4-14: Left: Visualization in RAMMS; right: Exported result in Google Earth (© Google
Earth)

If your project region is not within Switzerland, then the following other projections are supported in
RAMMS:

• UTM
• State Plane

Click Extras → Google Earth… → Google Earth Option to open the following window:

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Figure 4-15: Google Earth Options. Choose Projection and Spheroid (Datum) of your project
region

If you choose a UTM-projection, then it’s possible to set the parameters in the Projection Parameters
section. The section Google Earth View Parameters are parameters for the initial visualization in
Google Earth. Change them as you like.

The Figure below shows the drop-down menus for the Projection and the Spheroid (Datum) fields.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Figure 4-16: Google Earth Projection and Spheroid (Datum) drop-down menus

Click the Help-Button to get help about the projections and how to specify Zone, Spheroid and
Projection Parameters (only for UTM), such that your result is visualized correctly.

4.2.4 Creating an image or a GIF animation

Image

It is possible to export your results as an image in different formats (e.g. .png, .jpg, .gif, .tif etc.). Click
or choose Track → Export… → Image File and define a file name with the corresponding extension.
An image of the visible part in the viewer will then be exported.

GIF animation

Creating a GIF animation is only possible in output mode. Click or choose Track → Export... → GIF
Animation. Enter a file name and location and wait until the simulation stopped. As soon as the sim-
ulation finished, the GIF animation file is saved. In the Preferences (debris flow tab) you can define the
interval for the GIF animation (GIF animation interval [s]).

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CHAPTER 4: Results

4.2.5 Stopping criteria

There are two stopping criteria available in RAMMS:

1. Standard stopping criterion: Momentum-based, “Percentage of total momentum (%)”

2. New stopping criterion: Center-of-mass based, “Center-of-Mass vel threshold (m/s)”

Figure 4-17: The two stopping criteria available in RAMMS

The stopping criteria can be changed when starting a new simulation, see also Figure 3-51 on page 52.
You can define both stopping criteria, and the simulation will then stop when one of them is reached,
either the momentum- or the center-of-mass-criterion. In the following, both criteria are explained in
more details.

Momentum-based stopping criteria

In classical mechanics, momentum p (SI unit kgm/s, or, equivalently, Ns) is the product of the mass and
velocity of an object (p = mv). Threshold values between 1-10% are reasonable, but this is only a sug-
gestion and has to be empirically determined for each test case. For every dump-step, RAMMS sums
up the momenta of all grid cells (dump-step-sum), thus finding a maximum momentum sum (max-
momentum-sum). Then the dump-step-sum is compared to the max-momentum-sum. If this percent-
age is smaller than a user defined threshold value (see Figure above and on page 52), RAMMS aborts
the simulation and the avalanche is regarded as stopped.

Stopping criteria with large threshold values (e.g. >10%) may result in unrealistic early stopping of a
simulation. Small threshold values however may lead to numerical diffusion of the simulation results
and very slow creeping of the avalanche material and velocity oscillations.

To check the stopping of your simulation, click Results → Summary of Moving Mass. A window similar
to Figure 4-18 opens which shows the summary of moving mass.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Figure 4-18: Summary of Moving Mass information windows

Whether or not an avalanche stops depends on terrain (slope angle in runout), total flow volume and
friction values and should always be evaluated by an expert. In case of doubt on how to choose thresh-
old values we recommend running a simulation with a 1% threshold and checking the summary of
moving mass for numerical diffusion and analyzing the avalanche runout (flow height and flow velocity)
with time plots (section 0).

Figure 4-19: Stopping behaviour of a RAMMS simulation. Small threshold values may lead to unlikly
slow creeping of the material. In the example shown in the figure above the stopping
criteria is set to 0%.

Because block release simulations (the entire debris flow material starts to flow at the same time)
usually show larger values for the total maximum momentum than hydrograph simulations (controlled
inflow of debris flow material into calculation domain), the threshold values for block release simula-
tions could be set smaller than the threshold values for hydrograph simulations in some situations (see
Figure 4-20 and Figure 4-21 and section 5.2).

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Figure 4-20: Stopping behaviour of a hydrograph RAMMS simulation. In this example threshold values
<5% lead to numerical diffusion of the simulation results. A threshold value of 5% seems to be
appropriate in this cas.

Figure 4-21: Stopping behaviour of a block release RAMMS simulation. In this example threshold values
<2% lead to numerical diffusion of the simulation results. A threshold value of 2-3% seems to be
appropriate in this cas.

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CHAPTER 4: Results

Check the output logfile under Project → Output Logfile to verify your simulation stopped due to low
flux (see 4.1 on page 61). Otherwise enlarge the end time of your simulation (see exercise “Run a
calculation” on page 51).

Center-of-mass stopping criteria

This stopping criterion was introduced in Version 1.8.0. The idea of this new stopping criterion is the
following: Following the center-of-mass (COM) of the flow. RAMMS is calculating the COM every 2s,
and from the covered distance the velocity, with which the COM is moving.

The user can define a velocity threshold (in m/s), see Figure 3-51 on page 52, and as soon as the COM
is moving slower than this threshold, RAMMS considers the flow as stopped. With this approach, nu-
merical diffusion and slow creeping movements at the front can be prevented.

This criterion should only be used, if you simulate one single avalanche problem (catchment). If you
define two or more release areas (for different catchments), then this approach makes no sense. In
this case, set the threshold value to zero. In any case it’s suggested to do simulations with and without
the center-of-mass stopping criteria, and to critically analyze results.

During a calculation, the center-of-mass travel-speeds are also written to the standard-output (the
black DOS command prompt), see Figure below. You can open the standard-output-logfile with
Extras → View Simulation Standard Output Log.

Figure 4-22: Center-of-mass travel speeds

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CHAPTER 4: Results

4.3 Adding structures or deposition to DEM

The option to adding structures or deposition to DEM must be used with great care and should not be
used to design deflecting dams. Deflecting or catching dams can neither be designed directly with
RAMMS nor can the residual risk below dams be calculated directly with RAMMS. RAMMS takes im-
portant factors in dam design such as energy dissipation, dam geometry or debris flow deposits in front
of a dam not properly into account. Dams have to be designed using well known standard engineering
procedures, e.g. Johannesson et al. 2009, Rudolf-Miklau and Sauermoser 2011 and Rickenmann 1995.
RAMMS is well suited to calculate the key input factors for dam design such as flow height and velocity.
The dam-option should however only be used to try to visualize the influence of guiding or small de-
flection of the debris flow mass. RAMMS cannot be used directly to evaluate if the height of a deflecting
dam is sufficient for a certain scenario or not (see explanations below).

4.3.1 Creating a dam

RAMMS offers the possibility to simulate the presence of a deflecting dam by increasing the altitude
at the position where a dam is considered. This option helps the user to design mitigation structures
and to test its influence on potential flow paths near populated areas.

Exercise 4.3a: How to create a new DEM to simulate a dam

• Create a new polygon area where a dam is supposed to be built (Figure 4-23).
• Create a second, inner polygon, if you wish to have a two-stage dam.
• Go on GIS → Add DAM to DEM…
You have two options… → Enter Relative Dam Height or …→ Enter Dam Elevation
• You will be asked to “Open dam file (*.shp)”. Select the shapefile you want to use as the
outer edge of the dam.
• The question pops up, if you want to “Open 2nd dam shapefile (inner polygon)?”
→ Click No to continue with the next step
→ Click Yes to choose a 2nd dam file (*.shp).
• Next step is to enter the total elevation height or the total relative height of the dam in me-
ters. This is the elevation of the dam crest.
• If you loaded an outer polygon file, you will be asked to enter the intermediate height (m)
(height of the outer polygon file) as well.
• Finally, you have to “Enter new XYZ name”. Your new XYZ-file with the topographic infor-
mation, containing the “dam”, is created in your project directory.

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Figure 4-23: Release area where a dam Figure 4-24: New DEM with dam at location
is supposed to be built. of polygon shapefile.

To run a simulation based on the newly created XYZ-file, all you have to do is to choose the new XYZ-
file in the Run Simulation window, see below:

Figure 4-25: Select new XYZ-file with dam information.

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Figure 4-26: Simulation without mitigation measures (left) and with two dams built in RAMMS
(right).

While RAMMS is able to simulate the effect of a dam lying lateral to the direction of flow quite well,
there might occur numerical problems if a dam lies perpendicular to the direction of flow (see Figure
4-27).

• Because there is no energy dissipation due to collision with dams implemented in RAMMS,
unrealistically large flow velocities and flow heights may be simulated in front of a dam.
• The numerical solver used in RAMMS incorporates information from neighboring cells. The
effect of dams with only one cell as dam side wall may therefore be difficult to simulate.

Figure 4-27: Comparison of the profiles of two mitigation measures in RAMMS.

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If you encounter problems with the simula-

tion of mitigation measures as described,
we suggest creating a DEM including a dam
in GIS, ideally using progressively increasing
side walls as shown in Figure 4-28.
Figure 4-28: Dam with gradually rising side walls.

The interpretation of RAMMS simulations including mitigation measures such as dams (see Figure
4-27 and Figure 4-28) has to be done by experts. In addition, we recommend to always check the
simulation results with engineering approaches.

4.3.2 Creating a new DEM with deposited debris material

It is possible to simulate multi-surge debris flow events to estimate how deposits from earlier surges
can influence the flow of subsequent surges. One has to assume that the deposits from an initial surge
are not entrained by subsequent surges. To do this, in the output mode, users can select the option to
add the flow height of a debris flow to the DEM at any arbitrary dump-step. Finally, a new project can
be created based on the updated DEM.

Exercise 4.3b: How to add debris flow deposition to new DEM

• The deposition height is the flow depth at the end of a simulation when the flow is considered
to have stopped moving (alternatively, earlier dump-steps may be used if there are reasons to
believe the flow should have stopped earlier). So first view the results at the last time step or
a different time step, if desired.
• Go to Results → DEM Adaptations → Add Deposition to DEM
• Enter a new name for the new xyz-file.
• The new xyz-file, containing the deposition information, is created. To run a simulation based
on this new xyz-file, just choose the xyz-file in the Run Simulation window, see Figure 4-25.

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5 Applications
RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW can be initiated using either a block release (e.g. landslide release) or a hydro-
graph (flow discharge as a function of time). In some cases, it may not be entirely clear which method
is most suited. In this section we describe some practical differences in model results which may occur
depending on which method is used to start the flow in the model.

This chapter presents several topics relevant for the application of RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW in practice.
Several examples of how to use RAMMS to simulate channelized debris flow (flow paths of debris flow
limited by topography, such as a mountain torrent) using either a block release or an input hydrograph
are summarized. Model calibration and the question how to calculate model impact pressure are dis-
cussed.

5.1 Calibration
The calibration of the Voellmy friction model is one of the most important steps to get realistic and
useful results. For the calibration procedures a well-documented historical event is required. The his-
torical event should be similar to the problem where calibration is required. Ideally, information should
include flow heights and velocities at different locations in the torrent as well as the material compo-
sition, information concerning different flow paths and the initial conditions such as the total and the
initial volumes. In practice, it is difficult to collect exact data on flow heights and velocities from field
studies. However, field data can provide estimates of total volume, flow paths, flow heights and ma-
terial composition and sometimes even flow velocities.

Here, an example is shown, which was used for the calibration of RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW for the specific
case at Dorfbach, close to Rana (VS, CH). See Deubelbeiss and Graf, 2013. The following data was used
to calibrate the model:
Table 5.1: Parameters for calibration for the case study of Dorfbach, Randa (CH).
Field investigations
Cross sectional analysis Heights of levees or heights of marks on constructions, estimation of ve-
locity (splashing, superelevation)
Flow paths Tracks of boulders, rocks and mud
Deposition of material Lobes, levees and debris flow heads
Estimation of total volume Retention basin in the runout zone plus deposited material in tor-
rent and receiving river
Photographs
Release area Geometry of release area
Flow Paths Deposited material analyzed by aerial photographs

Field observations and investigations provided an estimate of a total volume of approximately 10’000
m3. The aim was to calibrate the model by comparing flow velocities and flow heights at two locations
(Figure 5-1a). The estimated values obtained from the field observations at these locations are:

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Table 5.2: Field estimations of height and flow velocity for

the case study of Dorfbach, Randa (CH).
Max flow height [m] Velocity [m/s]
Location 1 2-3 3-4
Location 2 2-3 1-2

Find the best-fit Voellmy friction coefficients (procedure)

To find the best- fit Voellmy friction coefficients (dry-Coulomb type friction µ and viscous-turbulent
friction ξ) we suggest the following calibration procedure:

1. Define µ which – as a first guess – is set to tan(𝛼) is the slope angle in the deposition zone. For
the case in Dorfbach we defined 𝜇 ≈ 0.2 (𝛼 ≈ 15°).
Values of µ normally range between 0.05 and 0.4. Values of µ larger than 0.4 rarely provide
useful simulation results.
2. ξ is more delicate to calibrate and we suggest starting with an initial guess of ξ =200 m/s2.
ξ describes the turbulent behavior of the flow. Typically, small values of ξ are reported for
granular flows while relatively large ξ values are sometimes associated with muddy flows.

Table 5.3: Suggestions for setting the viscous-turbulent friction parameter ξ.

Granular flow (solid-dominated) Mud flow (fluid-like)

Viscous-turbulent friction, ξ [m/s2] 100-200 *) 200-1’000 *)
*These values are only suggestions, not fixed definitions.

Table 5.4: General suggestion for the initial values of the Voellmy friction
coefficients used for the calibration procedure.
Initial values of the Voellmy friction coefficients
used for a calibration procedure with unknown
flow type
Dry-Coulomb type friction µ[] 0.2

Viscous-turbulent friction ξ [m/s2] 200

If the type of flow (granular or muddy) is not known, we suggest the following initial values of the
Voellmy friction coefficients for the calibration:

3. Vary µ around the initial definition with steps of ±1 and ξ with steps of ±100 m/s 2. After com-
paring this initial result with field observations, start with a fine tuning and incrementally
change µ and ξ around the initially-found best-fit values. To match the simulation results with
the flow heights and velocities from field observations at the given locations we found the
following best-fit Voellmy friction coefficients for Dorfbach:

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CHAPTER 5: Applications

Table 5.5: Best-fit Voellmy friction coefficients for the case study of Dorfbach, Rand (CH).
Dry-Coulomb type friction µ[] 0.225
Viscous-turbulent friction ξ [m/s2] 130

Table 5.6: Resulting maximum flow heights and velocities for total volumes of
10’000 and 5’000 m3 and µ=0.225 and ξ=130 m/s2

Volume: 10’000 m3 Max. height [m] Max. velocity [m/s]

Location 1 2.7 3.8
Location 2 2.5 2.5
Volume: 5’000 m3
Location 1 2.2 2.6
Location 2 1.1 2

The best-fit Voellmy friction coefficients are now used to perform several simulations (Figure 5-1). We
performed an additional simulation with a small total volume (5’000 m3) to better model the observed
flow path. This modification is justified because there are two main locations where deposition was
observed during the event of June 7, 2011. One location is out of Figure 5-1 around an elevation of
1’730 ma and the second location coincides with location number (3) in the center of the channel. The
simulation using a total volume of 10’000 and 5’000 m3 show the following flow heights and velocities
at the two locations 1 and 2:

Both simulations with volumes of 10’000 and 5’000 m3 show locations where the flow leaves the chan-
nel (Figure 5-1, locations 1-2), while in reality the debris flow should simply follow the channel.

Figure 5-1: Simulations with best-fit parameters µ=0.225 and ξ=130 m/s2 for (left) a volume of
10’000 and (right) 5’000 me and a DEM resolution of 2m. The dashed line indicates the flow path
of the event from June 7, 2010.

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Specifically, these are locations indicated by numbers (1) to (4). A breakout, where the flow left the
channel, was observed only at location (2) on the orographic right side of the channel.

These differences might be caused for the following reason: For these simulations we use a resolution
of the DEM (2010) of 2m. Additional simulations using a DEM-resolution of 1m and a volume of 5’000
m3 could reproduce the flow path at location (1), (3) and (4). At location (2) the outbreak disappeared
in the simulation, although it occurred in reality. This result indicates that a resolution of 2m cannot
reproduce the exact flow paths because not all vertical curves are visible on a 2m-DEM and therefore
material can break out of the channel. The missing outbreak at location (2) for the 2m-DEM can be
explained as following: first, it may indicate that at this location the volume was larger than 5’000 m3
and only after location (2) more material was deposited and second, an aspect which will be discussed
in the next section (5.2), the use of a block release rather than an input hydrograph resulted in slightly
underestimated flow heights and velocities.

To conclude, the simulations using a volume of 10’000 m3 indicate a slightly too high volume estimation
for the lower part of the torrent. However, to calibrate the Voellmy friction coefficients it was still
possible to match the flow heights and velocities observed in the field. The small differences in the
flow path between the simulation and reality can be explained by no ideally resolved terrain.

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5.2 Input hydrograph in comparison with block release

With an input hydrograph it is possible to constrain inflow of the debris material into the calculation
domain at a specific location. This is in contrast to a block release simulation where a release area with
an initial depth is defined for which the entire block of material is accelerated by gravity given the
frictional resistance, e.g. simulating debris flow initiation as an instantaneous landslide failure. Flow
depth is a value that can be measured with an observation station or estimated by geomorphic evi-
dence. Assuming that the profile and the velocity are known at the measurement location one can
calculate the discharge hydrograph there. Other options are presented in section 3.5.2.

5.2.1 Comparison between a block release and an input hydrograph

Simulations with large volumes and a block release usually have larger maximal discharge values (max-
imum heights) compared to simulations using a hydrograph (Figure 5-2a). The reason is that for a block
release the release area is defined and the initial release height has to be adjusted according to the
total volume, specified by the user. This block begins moving as soon as the simulation is started.
Hence, extremely large and possibly unrealistic initial heights can occur (e.g. we use an initial height of
13.2 m for simulations with a total volume of 200’000 m3 at Dorfbach, see studies by Deubelbeiss and
Graf, 2013). In many cases it would be more reasonable to assume a realistic initial release height and
adjust the release area to match the corresponding total volume. This effect inverts for small volumes:
the inflow velocity of a hydrograph simulation may be larger than what results from a block release
simulation at the location of the input hydrograph (Figure 5-2b). The inverse effect is also visible in the
flow paths (Figure 5-3). The larger flow heights and resulting velocities of a block release simulation
are represented by the larger extent compared to a hydrograph simulation.

Figure 5-2: Comparison of discharge curves of a simulation with a block release and a
hydrograph for (left) a volume of 200’000 m3 and (right) a volume of 3’350 m3. For all
simulations µ=0.225 and ξ=130 m/s2. The discharge curves are measured at the location shown
in Figure 5-3.

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5.2.2 Discussion

Figure 5-3: Comparison of the inindated areas of a simulation with a block release and a
hydrograph (left) for a volume of 200’000 m3 and (right) a volume of 2’250 m3. For all simulations
µ=0.225 and ξ=130 m/s2. Blue: hydrograph, red: block release. The red points indicate the location
of the measured discharge curves (Figure 5-2).

Two general problems appear when comparing the input hydrograph and block release: the friction
parameters for a large design event may be different than those for the calibration event, and differ-
ences in peak discharge. Large debris flows are often expected to have disproportionally longer runout
in comparison with smaller flows (e.g. less friction, e.g. smaller µ values). However, it is difficult to
generalize about how much the friction parameters should be changed as a function of event volume.
The situation is further complicated by the observation that very large debris flows tend to take place
as a series of surges rather than one large surge, and the effective flow topography may change due
to deposition (or erosion) during the surge. The problem with the unusually large flow depths and the
input hydrograph was described earlier in this section. Another aspect of that problem is that sediment
entrainment often takes place along the flow path, a process which is NOW implemented in
RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW. The new erosion module in RAMMS predicts the depth of erosion of sediment
caused by debris flows. Using this option, it is possible to predict the increase in volume of a debris
flow as it travels along a channel (see sections 0 and 5.3).

5.2.3 Summary
Using an input hydrograph rather than a block release certainly enhances the simulation results if data
are available. In this case we can assume that the input parameters are well known and represent the
measured field data (at least at the measurement location). This way large initial release heights and
the resulting large momenta can be avoided.

Channelized debris flows, which typically follow a torrent to the runout zone are more accurately sim-
ulated by input hydrographs. Additionally, the length of the flow path to be simulated can be reduced
resulting in shorter simulation times. (Be sure the entire hydrograph lies within the calculation do-
main.) For hillslope debris flows, which typically occur in open, unchanneled topographies, a block
release achieves better results.

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5.3 Erosion example

An example of applying the RAMMS debris-flow erosion algorithm is presented below. In this case
(Illgraben, Switzerland), channel-bed erosion can only occur between check-dams installed along the
channel, not at the check dams themselves, so four individual polygons were drawn and included in
one shape file. The flow is started as a hydrograph (bar-shaped release) and the computational domain
has been made relatively narrow to decrease computational time.

Step 1 (not shown): Setup and calibrate RAMMS without considering entrainment. In this case RAMMS
was calibrated for an example in the literature (Berger et al., 2011) where we know the travel time
between two of the check dams. The purpose of the first calibration–without erosion–is to help nar-
row-down the choice of the friction parameters µ and  for fine-tuning the model after erosion is con-
sidered.

Step 2: Define where erosion can take place. Select the menu option Input –> Polygon shapefile –>
Draw New Polygon Shapefile and draw the first polygon. After closing the first polygon with a right-
mouse-click, choose the option Add polygon areas, and repeat this procedure until all desired poly-
gons have been drawn. After adding the final polygon (in this case the fourth one) click on the “No”
button and name the polygon (Figure 5-4). Once this step is completed, the erosion properties within
this shapefile can be set in a different dialog box (Step 3, Figure 5-5). Although not illustrated here, it
is possible to create multiple shape files with different erosion parameters within each shape file.

Figure 5-4: Adding erosion polygon areas.

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Step 3: Set erosion parameters. To set the erosion parameters used during the simulation, select Run
simulation and then click on the Erosion tab. Click on the folder icon and select the polygon shapefile
(in this case erodible_bed.shp, Figure 5-5). After selecting the erosion parameters, click on the button
Add shapefile to list. The shapefile and values are added to the list. You can delete the whole list, or
remove single entries from the list. It’s not possible to edit an entry (remove the entry, and create a
new entry).

Figure 5-5: Erosion parameters.

One advantage of the new Erosion Module in RAMMS is that the user can start the model with realistic
starting conditions, e.g. either a block release (landslide) scenario based on field observations or a
realistic hydrograph. Then the model will entrain sediment along the flow path, thereby increasing in
size. The main disadvantage of the new model is that you cannot specify the event volume before the
simulation starts, because the volume of the debris flow will increase as it entrains sediment along the
flow path. If precise final volume scenarios are necessary, it may be necessary to run the model several
times, iteratively adjusting the initial landslide size, until the desired volume is achieved (see Frank et
al., 2017, for an example).

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The predicted channel-bed erosion for this case is illustrated in Figure 5-6. Here one can clearly see (in
comparison with Figure 5-4) that erosion has taken place only within the user-specified polygons within
the erosion shape file, and not on the check dams separating the individual polygons.

Figure 5-6: Simulated channel-bed erosion.

In this case the model was then re-calibrated with small adjustments to the turbulent friction param-
eter, and calibrated (for flow speed) to be within 1 second of observed travel time. A comparison of
the hydrographs (output from a point placed under the bridge at the top of Figure 5-7, in comparison
with the flow height measured in the field) illustrates that the steepness of the front, when including
debris-flow entrainment, is somewhat more realistic. However, the case where entrainment is not
considered is somewhat slower in travel speed, for the same friction parameters.

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Figure 5-7: Front steepness comparison; laser data, RAMMS with erosion and RAMMS without erosion.

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

6 Program overview
RAMMS is a windows-based program that relies on drop-down menus and dialog boxes to set the
model parameters, run calculations and view results. Toolbar buttons are also available and provide
short-cuts of the menu paths; moving the cursor over a button results in a short explanation, appearing
in a text box below the cursor (‘tooltip’). For functions not available in the current context, the menus
and buttons are deactivated and cannot be used.

6.1 The Graphical User Interface (GUI)

The graphical user interface (GUI) (Fig. 6.1) consists of menu bar, horizontal and vertical toolbar, main
window, time step slider, right and left status bar, colorbar and panel. They will be explained in the
following sections.

Figure 6-1: Graphical user interface (GUI)

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6.1.1 The menu bars

Track

Similar to the Microsoft Windows File menu, Track is used to open, close, save, print, backup and ex-
port files.

New • Project Wizard Start a new project, guided by the wizard (Ctrl + w)

• Convert XYZ → ASCII Convert regular or irregular XYZ data (e.g. laser scanning data) into
grid a raster grid (ESRI ASCII or GEOTIFF).

Possibility to start many simulations automatically (e.g. overnight)

• Run BATCH simula-
You can choose how many computational cores the Batch-Mode
tions should use (quasi parallel simulations, saves computational time).

• Run BATCH simula-

Choose a folder with input files for a batch simulation (see above).
tions (from Folder)

• Export ASCII Files

Automatically export all ASCII files (max height, max velocity, max
from Simulations pressure, deposition) from multiple output files.
(Batch)

• Export ASCII Files

Automatically export all ASCII files (max height, max velocity, max
from Simulations pressure, deposition) from all output files from a folder.
(from Folder, Batch)

Open • Input File Open an existing input file (*.db2) (Ctrl + O)

• Debris Flow Simula-

Open existing debris flow simulation (*.out.gz) (Ctrl + A).
tion

Close Close active file (input or output)

Save Save active file (Ctrl + S)

Save a copy of the active file (e.g. test.db2) under a new name
Save Copy As (e.g. simulation1.db2, works only in input mode). Useful for Batch-
Simulations.

Create an image of the active window in a chosen format. You can

Export • Image File choose the desired image format using the file extension (e.g.
.png, .jpg, .gif, .tif, etc.).

Create a GIF animation if the simulation (only in output mode).

• GIF Animation Change GIF animation interval [s] in the preferences.

• Backup RAMMS Ver-

Backup Make a backup of the current RAMMS Version.
sion

Backup your active project. The user will be asked if he wants to

include output files in the backup. This function is useful when
having problems with a simulation. Make a backup and send the
• Backup Active Project zip-file together with some explanations to ramms@slf.ch. Make
sure that all your input data (release area shapefiles, domain files,
etc…) is in the project folder.

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• Backup User Defined

Backup any folder or files you want.
Files/Folders

Preferences Change RAMMS preferences

• RAMMS Logfile (cur-

Log files Show active RAMMS logfile.
rent)

• RAMMS Logfile (last If RAMMS crashed, open this logfile and copy/paste the content
session) into an email to ramms@slf.ch.

Restart RAMMS Restart RAMMS.

Exit Exit RAMMS (Ctrl + Q).

Recent… Shows a list of up to 10 of your recent input and output files.

Edit

This menu is used to edit colorbar and dataspace properties.

Colorbar Properties Edit the colorbar properties.

Get Colorbar Get back your colorbar, if lost.

Edit Dataspace Properties Edit your dataspace properties.

Shows or hides dataspace axes of the project region. The axes can only be visible if
Show Dataspace Axes
the background color is set to white

Colorbar White Color Checkbox. If checked, the colorbar text-color is white (default), otherwise black.

Input

Menu used to specify the global parameters, the calculation domain, release area, friction parameters
and forest cover. This menu is active only in input mode.

Calculation Do- • Draw New Calculation This activates the button to draw a new calculation domain.
main Domain The mouse cursor changes to an arrow.

Load an existing calculation domain (*.dom) drawn and saved

• Load Existing Domain before.

This activates the button to draw new polygon shapefiles. The

mouse cursor changes to an arrow. Select points with the left
Polygon • Draw New
mouse button, finish with a right mouse button click (the final
Shapefile… Polygon Shapefile right mouse button click is NOT a point of your polygon). This
works only in 2D mode.

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• Load Existing
Load an existing polygon shapefile.
Polygon Shapefile

The mouse cursor changes to an arrow and you can select re-
• Details/Edit Release Ar-
Release Area lease area to define the release height and to view release
eas area information. This works only in 2D mode

Show

This menu enables and disables the different visualizations. A little arrow indicates if the visualization
is enabled or disabled.

Show Lights Show/hide light effects

Show Grid Show/hide computational grid

Show Map Show map

Show Image Show orthophoto/image

Show Visualization Show/hide release area (input mode) or simulation results (output mode)

Show Arrow OUTPUT | Show/hide point arrow of time plot

Show Colorbar Show/hide colorbar

Show Bottom Color Show/hide 0-color

Show Velocity Arrow OUTPUT | Show/hide velocity vector

Show Domain INPUT | Show/hide calculation domain

Run

This menu is active only in input mode.

Opens the Run Simulation window to change parameters and to start the calcula-
Run Calculation
tion of a debris flow simulation.

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Results

This menu contains the results functions and is only active in output mode.

Flow Height Shows flow height of the debris flow every time step.

Shows flow velocity of the debris flow for every time

Flow Velocity
step.

Shows flow pressure of the debris flow for every time

Flow Pressure
step.

Shows flow momentum of the debris flow for every

Flow Momentum
time step.

Shows flow momentum of the debris flow for every

Erosion
time step.

Max Values • Max Flow Height Displays the maximum flow height for each cell.

• Max Velocity Displays the maximum velocity for each cell.

• Max Pressure Displays the maximum pressure for each cell.

• Max Flow Momentum Displays the maximum momentum for each cell.

• Max Shear Stress Displays the maximum shear stress for each cell.

• Max Erosion Displays the maximum erosion depth for each cell.

Adds the deposition of a debris flow simulation to a

Add Deposition to DEM
new DEM.

Summary of Moving Mass Summarizes the Moving Mass.

Mu Displays the friction parameter µ for this simulation.

Xi Display the friction parameter ξ for this simulation.

Grid Cell Area Display the grid cell area for each cell (m2).

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GIS

This menu contains GIS functions.

Add data (shapefiles, MuXi-ASCII files) to the visualiza-

Add Data
tion.
Export the active result to an ESRI GIS shapefile for
Export … • Results as Shapefile later use in a GIS program.
• Results as Raster Data Displays the maximum velocity for each cell.

• Envelope Shapefile Create an envelope shapefile from the active result.

• Envelope Shapefile from Create an envelope shapefile from an ASCII file. User
ASCII File can specify an ASCII file (e.g. max flow height).

Adds a dam to the DEM. You have to specify rel-

Add Dam to DEM
ative dam height or absolute dam elevation.

Show Slope Angle (°) Display the slope angles.

Show Curvature (1/m) Display the curvatures.

Show Contour Plot Display a contour plot.

Normally, slope an curvature are calculated for a

Resample Slope/Curvature grid resolution of 10m. You can change this reso-
lution by using this function.

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Extras

Add or change the topographic map of your pro-

ject. The maps can be located in your project di-
Add/Change or Remove map rectory, or in your distribution’s ‘Map’ folder,
see section 3.2 for details. If not, you can browse
for the maps.

Add, change or remove the image used for visu-

alization of your project. The images can be lo-
Add/Change or Remove Im-
cated in your project directory, or in your distri-
ager bution’s ‘IMAGE’ folder, see section 3.2 for de-
tails. If not, you can browse for images.

This will calculate a hillshade visualization of

Create Hillshade Image your DEM. It’s then saved as a TIFF image that
you can use in RAMMS.
This activates the button to select a point. The mouse
Point … • Choose Interactively cursor changes to an arrow. Select the point with the
left mouse button. This works only in 2D mode.
• Enter Coordinates (X/Y) Enter the coordinates of a point you are interested in.

• Create Time Plot Create a time plot of a selected point.

• View Info File View point info file.

• Save Point Location Save point location as a point shapefile.

• Export Time Plot Data Export time plot data as a txt-file.

This activates the button to draw a line profile. The
mouse cursor changes to an arrow. Select the points of
Profile … • Draw New Line Profile the line profile with the left mouse button, finish with
a right mouse click. This works only in 2D mode.
• Save Line Profile Points Save your line profile as a polyline shapefile.

• Export Line Profile Plot

Export the line profile plot data as a txt-file.
Data

Save your current state of view, as well as the

Save Active Position
enabled and disabled visualizations.

Reload Position Reload your saved position.

This function exports release areas and your results to
Google Earth. If your project location is within Switzer-
• Export Result to Google
Google Earth … land (default), you can use this function without
Earth changing any options. If not, see Map Options.

Enter map options if you want to export your result

• Map Options from a location outside of Switzerland
• Map Options Help Get help about Google Earth Map Options.

View input file Opens the input file in a window.

Opens the simulations standard output log in a

View Simulation Standard Out-
window (the black DOS window you see when a
put Log simulation is running).

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

Project

This menu contains the project input and output logfiles.

Input Log File Displays the input logfile.

Output Log File Displays the output logfile. The input logfile is appended to the output logfile.

Open Project Folder (Windows

Opens project Folder in Window Explorer from within RAMMS.
Explorer)

Help

RAMMS User Manual (pdf) RAMMS User Manual in pdf format.

RAMMS License Agreement RAMMS License Agreement

Opens the RAMMS FAQ website at

RAMMS FAQ
https://ramms.slf.ch in a web browser.

Opens the RAMMS website at https://ramms.slf.ch in a

RAMMS Website
web browser.

Download RAMMS updates manually or directly from

Update...
the web.

Start web update procedure. RAMMS checks online if

Update… • Web Update there is an update available.

• Get Update Manually

Download the update to a local folder.
(download to local folder)

• Install Update from local

Install the update from a local folder.
folder

Edit your existing license file or add/register a new li-

Update/Register License Key
cense key (module).
• Color Tables – View Availa- Choose a different type of color scheme for your
Advanced…
ble Color Tables colorbar.

• Additional Preferences - Only for experts. Please contact ramms@slf.ch if you

Edit have questions about the additional preferences.
Reset your general preferences (working directory,
• Reset General Preferences map directory etc.).
It is possible, that the Visual C++ Redistributable librar-
ies for Visual Studio 2015 (x64) are not installed on
your PC/laptop. These libraries are needed to run
• Install C++ Libraries RAMMS. In case they are missing, you are not able to
run simulations. Run this function to install these li-
braries.

99
CHAPTER 6: Program overview

• Logging Checkbox. Switch logging on or off.

Checkbox. Switch AutoWebUpdate ON or OFF. If Au-
toWebUpdate is ON, then RAMMS will check for up-
• AutoWebUpdate dates whenever you start RAMMS. Default is ON.

Checkbox. Switch hardware rendering on or off. If

hardware rendering is switched on, then all graphical
rendering is done by your hardware, otherwise by IDL
• Hardware Rendering (RAMMS). It is suggested to switch hardware rendering
OFF.

Checkbox. Switch curvature on or off. See section 3.1.4

on page 16 for more information about curvature.
• Curvature Default is ON.

If you have a problem using RAMMS, please send us

• Technical Support Infor- the information from the Technical Support Infor-
mation mation together with any error screenshots from
RAMMS.
RAMMS Changelog Information about the RAMMS releases in pdf format.

About RAMMS About RAMMS information

100
CHAPTER 6: Program overview

6.1.2 Horizontal toolbar

Project wizard: open debris flow wizard for creating a new debris flow project. (Ctrl + W)

Open input file. (Ctrl + O)

Open simulation. (Ctrl + A)

INPUT | Save copy as: save the active file under a new name.

INPUT and OUTPUT | Close: close the active file.

Print: displays the Windows print manager.

Undo, Redo.

Arrow (move and resize), Rotate, Move.

Simulation Results: Choose this function and move the arrow over the topography → x-,
y- and z-Coordinates of the mouse position are shown in the lower right status bar (see
Figure 6-11 on page 110).

OUTPUT | If you move the arrow over the simulation data, the active parameter is
shown as well (see right value in the figure below). If you click once with the left mouse
button at a point of interest, a new window pops up called ‘RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW Time
Plot <Active Parameter>’.

INPUT, 2D | Draw new polygon shapefile: specify new polygon-points by clicking the left
mouse button, finish with a right mouse click. The user is asked if he wants to draw
more polygons. At last, he has to specify a new filename for the polygon shapefile.

INPUT, 2D |Create new domain area: specify a new domain polygon by clicking with left
mouse button, for the last polygon-point click the right mouse button to finish. A dialog
box will then ask the user for a new domain name (e.g. test).

OUTPUT, 2D | Line Profile: Select the topography, until the Line-Profile-Button is active.
Click the button and then move the cursor to the start point of your profile. Click the left
mouse button and move the cursor to the next position of your profile. At the end posi-
tion of your profile click the right mouse button. A new window pops up called
‘RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW Line Profile Plot Active Parameter’. This line profile plot is linked
to your simulation. If you change the parameter or if you change the max-value in the
debris flow panel, the changes are adapted in the line profile plot!

2D |Measure distance and angle: Click with left mouse button; distance and angle be-
tween clicks is shown in the lower right status bar. Finish with a right mouse click.

INPUT, 2D | View and Edit Release Areas.

Zoom tools.

Annotation tools, text, line, rectangle, oval, polygon, freehand. They can be activated
and deactivated in the additional preferences.
Preferences → Advanced… → Edit → Annotations

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

Interpretation of the input DEM: Slope Angle, Curvature and Contour Plots. Remove vis-
ualization by clicking the button again.

OUTPUT | Show dump step values of the simulation result: Flow Height.

OUTPUT | Show Maximum values of the simulation results: Max. Flow Height, Max.
Flow Velocity and Max. Pressure.

OUTPUT, 2D |create a time plot for the last point location.

OUTPUT | export the results to ASCII grid.

Open project folder in Windows Explorer.

Add/change maps/orthophotos.

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

6.1.3 Vertical Toolbar

Add shapefile (*.shp).

Switch to input file of an already open simulation.

Show/hide lights.

Show/hide mesh.

INPUT | Show/hide release area (or active parameter).

OUTPUT | show/hide simulation.

Show/hide colorbar.

OUTPUT | Show/hide velocity vector arrow.

Show map.

Show image.

INPUT | Run Simulation.

OUTPUT | Animate Simulation / Continue Simulation.

Stop/Pause Simulation ( ).

OUTPUT | End Simulation: skip to last dump-step of simulation.

Create a screenshot of the main window.

OUTPUT | Create GIF animation.

Change RAMMS Additional Preferences.

Edit dataspace properties.

Change RAMMS preferences (e.g. working directory).

Change view to 2D / Change view to 3D ( ).

Refresh visualization (if stuck).

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

6.1.4 Main window

The RAMMS GUI (Graphical User Interface) consists of two main regions, see Figure 6-2:

1. Main visualization window

2. Information panel, see section below.

Figure 6-2: RAMMS GUI.

6.1.5 Panel

A DEBRIS FLOW panel is displayed on the right side of the RAMMS GUI (Figure 6-2), and consists of the
display part, where visualization and colorbar settings can be set (MIN/MAX/COLORS and TRANSPAR-
ENCY/CONTOURS, and four tabs (Files, General, Volumes and Region). Always confirm with ENTER (re-
turn key) when changing a value! Additionally, the PARAMETER line states the visible parameter (e.g.
Release height (m) in the Figure below, red box). Simulation contour lines can only be shown for an
output result (see Figure 3-31).

104
CHAPTER 6: Program overview

Figure 6-3: DEBRIS FLOW flow panel with four tabs

The Min and Max values as well as the number of colors influence directly the colorbar and the visual-
ization. The transparency changes the visibility of the result: 0% means no transparency, 100% means
total transparency, see Figure below. The colorbar is divided into N (nr. of colors) different colors.

Figure 6-4: No transparency (left) and 40% transparency (right) of simulation result.

105
CHAPTER 6: Program overview

Files tab

The Files tab (Figure 6-5) shows a file tree with nodes for polygon shapefiles (Polygon, *.shp) and cal-
culation domain files (Domain, *.shp). See section 3.4.1 on page 26 on how to use the Files tab.

Figure 6-5: Debrisflow panel - Files tab

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

General tab

The General tab (Figure 6-6) shows important simulation parameters, such as: nr. of nodes, nr. of cells,
end time (s), dump-step (s), grid resolution (m) and density (kg/m3). In input mode, for handling and
visualization purposes, the topographic information is resampled, such that there are only ca. 50’000
grid cells remaining (see Visualization Resampling Remarks in Figure 6-6, red box). This does not influ-
ence any simulation at all, it simply makes the users life easier to zoom and rotate the topography.

Figure 6-6: Debris flow panel – General tab

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

Volumes tab

The Volumes tab (Figure 6-7) gives the user information about a block release (or hydrograph) volume
and areas. The tab is slightly different in INPUT or OUTPUT mode:

INPUT OUTPUT
• projected release area (m2) • projected release area (m2)
• inclined (3D) release area (m2) • inclined (3D) release area (m2)
• Block/Hydrograph volume (m3, estimated in • Block/Hydrograph volume (m3)
input mode) • Flow Volume (m3), changes with dump step
• Block/Hydrograph mass (t) • Eroded Volume (m3), changes with dump
• Density (kg/m3) step
• Outflow Volume (m3), changes with dump
step

Figure 6-7: Debris flow panel – Volumes tab. Left: INPUT (DEM 2m): right: OUTPUT (SIM 4m).
The different resolution is responsible for the differences in areas and volume.

Click the Update avalanche volume button (in output mode, red box), if the flow volume is not updated
automatically.

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CHAPTER 6: Program overview

Region tab

The region tab (D) gives information about min, max and diff X-, Y-coordinates and the altitude limits
as well as information about the region area in km2.

Figure 6-8: Debris flow panel – Region tab

6.1.6 Time step slider

The time step slider can be moved manually to change the active time step (only in output mode).

Figure 6-9: The active time (20s) is shown in the time slider .

6.1.7 Left status bar

The left status bar is used to display status information for operations or informational messages per-
taining to the currently selected surface or manipulators.

Figure 6-10: Status information shown in the left status bar.

6.1.8 Right status bar

The right status bar is used to display the position of the cursor within the surface and additional sim-
ulation results at the position of the cursor.

109
CHAPTER 6: Program overview

Figure 6-11: Position information and triangle simulation results in the right status
bar.

6.1.9 Colorbar

In general, the colorbar appears at the right

edge of the main window (Fig. 6.1) and can be
moved and resized (see section 3.4.6 on page
33).
Figure 6-12: Colorbar

110
7 References and further reading
7.1 References
Maps and aerial images

➔ Topographic base maps and aerial images (Source: Federal Office of Topography)

Literature

• Ayotte D. and Hungr O. 2000: Calibration of a runout prediction model for debris flow and
Naeser, Rotterdam, 505-514.
• Badoux A., Graf C., Rhyner J., Kuntner R. and McArdell B.W. 2009: A debris-flow alarm system
for the Alpine Illgraben catchment: design and performance. In: Natural Hazards, 49(3), 517-
539.
• Bartelt, P.; Vera Valero, C.; Feistl, T.; Christen, M.; Bühler, Y.; Buser, O., 2015: Modelling co-
hesion in snow avalanche flow. Journal of Glaciology, 61, 229: 837-850. doi:
10.3189/2015JoG14J126
• Berger C. 2010: Debris flow entrainment and sediment transfer processes at the Illgraben
catchment, Switzerland. Ph.D. thesis, University of Bern, Inst. of Geological Sciences, Bern,
Switzerland.
• Berger C., McArdell B. W. and Schlunegger F. 2011: Direct measurement of channel erosion by
debris flows, Illgraben, Switzerland, J. Geophys. Res., 116, F01002, doi: 10.1029/2010JF001722.
• Bovis M.J. and Jakob M. 1999: The role of debris supply conditions in predicting debris flow
activity. In: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 24, 1039-1054.
• D’Agostino V. and Cesca M. 2008: Ricostruzione di alcuni dei principali eventi torrentizi avve-
nuti in Provincia di Trento. Technical report, Trento Autonomous Province.
• Deubelbeiss Y. and Graf C. 2013: Two different starting conditions in numerical debris flow
models - Case study at Dorfbach, Randa (Valais, Switzerland). In: Graf, C. (Red.) 2013: Mattertal
- ein Tal in Bewegung. Publikation zur Jahrestagung der Schweizerischen Geomorphologischen
Gesellschaft 29. Juni - 1. Juli 2011, St. Niklaus. Birmensdorf, Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL, 125-
138.
• Fischer, J.-T.; Kowalski, J.; Pudasaini, S.P., 2012: Topographic curvature effects in applied ava-
lanche modeling. Cold Regions Science and Technology, Volumes 74–75, May 2012, Pages 21-
30.
• Hürlimann M., Rickenmann D. and Graf C. 2003: Field and monitoring data of debrisflow
events in the Swiss Alps. In: Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2003, 40(1), 161-175.
• Johannesson et al. 2009: The design of avalanche protection dams. Recent practical and theo-
retical developments. European Commission. Directorate General for Research, 2009.
• Mizuyama T., Kobashi S. and Ou G. 1992: Prediction of debris-flow peak discharge. Proceedings
of the international Symposium Interpraevent, Bern, Switzerland, 4, 99-108.
• Rickenmann D. 1995: Beurteilung von Murgängen. In: Schweiz. Ingenieur und Architekt
113(48), 1104-1108.
• Rickenmann D. 1999: Empirical relationships for debris flows. In: Natural Hazards, 19, 47-77.
111
• Rudolf-Miklau F. and Sauermoser S. 2011: Handbuch Technischer Lawinenschutz. Ernst & Sohn
GmbH&Co.
• Salm B., Burkard A. and Gubler H. 1990: Berechnung von Fliesslawinen: eine Anleitung für
Praktiker mit Beispielen. Mitteilung 47, Eidg. Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF.
• Salm B. 1993: Flow, flow transition and runout distances of flowing avalanches. In: Annals of
Glaciology 18, 221-226.
• Varnes D.J. 1978: Slope movement types and processes. In: Land-slides Analysis and Control,
edited by Schuster, R.L. and Krizec,R.J., Spec. Per. Natl. Res. Counc. Transp. Res. Board, 176,
Natl. Acad. of Sci., Washington D.C., 11-33.

7.2 Publications
The development of RAMMS is based on scientific findings published in international scientific
journals. A list of the most important scientific publications about RAMMS and its applications can
be found on our homepage at https://ramms.slf.ch. Visit a module-page, and check the Publica-
tion-tab at the bottom of the page.

112
List of Figures
FIGURE 2-1: INSTALLATION - WELCOME DIALOG WINDOW. .................................................................................. 5
FIGURE 2-2: INSTALLATION - README DIALOG WINDOW. ................................................................................... 5
FIGURE 2-3: INSTALLATION - LICENSE AGREEMENT DIALOG WINDOW. ............................................................... 6
FIGURE 2-4: INSTALLATION - DESTINATION DIRECTORY DIALOG WINDOW. ........................................................ 6
FIGURE 2-5: INSTALLATION - INSTALLING FILES DIALOG WINDOW. ...................................................................... 7
FIGURE 2-6 : INSTALLATION - FINISHED INSTALLING FILES DIALOG WINDOW. ..................................................... 7
FIGURE 2-7: INSTALLATION - FINISHED INSTALLATION DIALOG WINDOW. .......................................................... 8
FIGURE 2-8: IDL VISUAL STUDIO MERGE MODULES - WELCOME DIALOG WINDOW. ........................................... 8
FIGURE 2-9: IDL VISUAL STUDIO MERGE MODULES - READY TO INSTALL THE PROGRAM. ................................. 9
FIGURE 2-10: IDL VISUAL STUDIO MERGE MODULES - INSTALLING... ................................................................... 9
FIGURE 2-11: INSTALLATION - DESTINATION DIRECTORY DIALOG WINDOW. .................................................... 10
FIGURE 2-12: RAMMS ICON. ................................................................................................................................. 10
FIGURE 2-13: RAMMS PROGRAM GROUP ............................................................................................................ 10
FIGURE 2-14: RAMMS START WINDOW. ............................................................................................................... 11
FIGURE 2-15: RAMMS LICENSING WINDOW ......................................................................................................... 11
FIGURE 2-16: ENTER USER NAME AND COMPANY NAME. ................................................................................... 12
FIGURE 2-17: PERSONAL LICENSE REQUEST FILE RAMMS_DBF_REQUEST_TESTNAME.TXT ................................ 12
FIGURE 2-18: PERSONAL LICENSE KEY FILE RAMMS_LICENSE_MUSTER TEST.TXT ............................................ 13
FIGURE 3-1 : EXAMPLE ESRI ASCII GRID. ............................................................................................................... 14
FIGURE 3-2: EXAMPLE ASCII XYZ SINGLE SPACE DATA. ......................................................................................... 14
FIGURE 3-3: PROJECT EXTENT (AREA OF INTEREST) ............................................................................................. 15
FIGURE 3-4: RELATION BETWEEN NORMAL AND SHEAR STRESS. ........................................................................ 17
FIGURE 3-5: GENERAL TAB OF RAMMS PREFERENCES. ........................................................................................ 20
FIGURE 3-6: DEBRIS FLOW TAB OF RAMMS PREFERENCES. ................................................................................. 20
FIGURE 3-7: RAMMS PREFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 21
FIGURE 3-8: BROWSE FOR THE CORRECT FOLDER. ............................................................................................... 21
FIGURE 3-9: RAMMS PROJECT WIZARD STEP 1 OF 4 ............................................................................................ 22
FIGURE 3-10: STEP 1 OF THE RAMMS PROJECT WIZARD PROJECT INFORMATION. ............................................. 23
FIGURE 3-11: WINDOW TO BROWSE FOR A NEW PROJECT LOCATION. ............................................................... 23
FIGURE 3-12: STEP 2 OF THE RAMMS PROJECT WIZARD: GIS INFORMATION. ..................................................... 23
FIGURE 3-13: PROJECT COORDINATES: LOWER LEFT AND UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF PROJECT AREA................. 24
FIGURE 3-14: STEP 3 OF THE RAMMS PROJECT WIZARD: PROJECT BOUNDARY COORDINATES. ......................... 24
FIGURE 3-15: STEP 4 OF THE RAMMS PROJECT WIZARD: PROJECT SUMMARY. .................................................. 24
FIGURE 3-16: PROJECT FILES ................................................................................................................................. 25
FIGURE 3-17: TOOLBAR BUTTON TO OPEN AN INPUT FILE. .................................................................................. 26
FIGURE 3-18: TOOLBAR BUTTON TO OPEN AN OUTPUT FILE. .............................................................................. 26

113
FIGURE 3-19: FILES TAB AND AVAILABLE PROJECT FILES ...................................................................................... 27
FIGURE 3-20: SELECTED FILE (BLOCKRELEASE.SHP) ON THE RIGHT IS SHOWN IN THE VISUALIZATION. .............. 27
FIGURE 3-21: RIGHT-CLICK MENUS ....................................................................................................................... 28
FIGURE 3-22: USE SHAPEFILE PROPERTIES TO CHANGE LINE THICKNESS, COLOR OR LINESTYLE. ....................... 28
FIGURE 3-23 DEM SURFACE VISUALIZATION ........................................................................................................ 29
FIGURE 3-24 VISUALIZATION AFTER CREATING AND ADDING THE HILLSHADE IMAGE TO RAMMS .................... 30
FIGURE 3-25: WINDOW TO CHOOSE MAP IMAGE. ............................................................................................... 31
FIGURE 3-26: ACTIVE PROJECT WITH LINES AND CORNERS FOR RESIZING. ......................................................... 32
FIGURE 3-27: ACTIVE PROJECT WITH ROTATION AXES. ........................................................................................ 32
FIGURE 3-28: 3D VIEW OF EXAMPLE MODEL. ....................................................................................................... 33
FIGURE 3-29: 2D VIEW OF EXAMPLE MODEL. ....................................................................................................... 33
FIGURE 3-30 COLORBAR AND VISUALIZATION PROPERTIES ................................................................................. 34
FIGURE 3-31: SIMULATION CONTOUR LINES ........................................................................................................ 34
FIGURE 3-32: THE COLORBAR PROPERTIES WINDOW. ......................................................................................... 35
FIGURE 3-33: ABOUT RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW........................................................................................................ 37
FIGURE 3-34: PROJECT WITH EMERGING RELEASE AREA. .................................................................................... 39
FIGURE 3-35 : BLOCK RELEASE AREA AND VOLUME INFORMATION. ................................................................... 40
FIGURE 3-36: HYDROGRAPH AREA AND VOLUME INFORMATION. ...................................................................... 40
FIGURE 3-37: VIEW/EDIT RELEASE AREA............................................................................................................... 41
FIGURE 3-38: THREE-POINT HYDROGRAPH WITH TOTAL VOLUME OF DEBRIS FLOW. ......................................... 42
FIGURE 3-39: FOUR-POINT HYDROGRAPH FOR DISCHARGE VALUES OF AN EVENT ............................................. 42
FIGURE 3-40: COMPARISON OF A THREE-POINT WITH A FOUR-POINT HYDROGRAPH ...................................... 42
FIGURE 3-41: EDIT HYDROGRAPH TABLE. THE CHECKBOX (RED RECTANGLE) MUST ........................................... 43
FIGURE 3-42: DEFINITION OF INFLOW DIRECTION OF AN INPUT HYDROGRAPH. ................................................ 44
FIGURE 3-43: BEAM SHAPED POLYGON AREA FOR THE INPUT HYDROGRAPH .................................................... 45
FIGURE 3-44: EROSION TAB .................................................................................................................................. 46
FIGURE 3-45: CALCULATION DOMAIN IN GREEN ENCLOSES THE AREA OF INTEREST .......................................... 48
FIGURE 3-46: INPUT FILE WITH A ROUGH CALCULATION DOMAIN ...................................................................... 49
FIGURE 3-47: MAX FLOW HEIGHT OF A 4M SIMULATION .................................................................................... 49
FIGURE 3-48: ENVELOPE SHAPEFILE (DASHED RED LINE) OF MAX FLOW HEIGHT EXTENT .................................. 50
FIGURE 3-49: INPUT FILE WITH OPTIMIZED CALCULATION DOMAIN (ENVELOPE SHAPEFILE) ............................. 50
FIGURE 3-50: MAX FLOW HEIGHT RESULT OF A 2M SIMULATION ....................................................................... 51
FIGURE 3-51 GENERAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................................. 52
FIGURE 3-52: PARAMETER TAB ............................................................................................................................. 53
FIGURE 3-53: MUXI TAB ........................................................................................................................................ 54
FIGURE 3-54: HYDROGRAPH TAB .......................................................................................................................... 55
FIGURE 3-55: HYDROGRAPH TAB .......................................................................................................................... 56
FIGURE 3-56: EROSION TAB .................................................................................................................................. 57
114
FIGURE 3-57: STANDARD OUTPUT LOG WINDOW. ............................................................................................... 58
FIGURE 3. 3-58: BACKGROUND SIMULATION MODE. ........................................................................................... 58
FIGURE 3-59: BATCH-SIMULATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 59
FIGURE 4-1: MAIN WINDOW IN OUTPUT MODE. ................................................................................................. 60
FIGURE 4-2: OUTFLOW VOLUME ALERT. .............................................................................................................. 60
FIGURE 4-3: OUTPUT LOGFILE............................................................................................................................... 61
FIGURE 4-4: RAMMS PROJECT INPUT LOG FILE. ................................................................................................... 62
FIGURE 4-5: REGION EXTENT (X-, Y- AND Z-COORDINATES, TOTAL AREA). .......................................................... 62
FIGURE 4-6: RESULTS: MAXIMUM VALUES OF FLOW HEIGHT, VELOCITY AND PRESSURE ................................... 64
FIGURE 4-7: QUASI 3D-VISUALIZATION OF FLOW HEIGHT.................................................................................... 64
FIGURE 4-8: LINE PROFILE PLOT, WITH CALCULATED FLOW DISCHARGE. ............................................................ 66
FIGURE 4-9: LINE PROFILE PERPENDICULAR TO DEBRIS FLOW DIRECTION. ......................................................... 67
FIGURE 4-10: LINE PROFILE ALONG THE DEBRIS FLOW DIRECTION. ..................................................................... 67
FIGURE 4-11: TIME PLOT WINDOW. ..................................................................................................................... 68
FIGURE 4-12: DEPOSITION ANALYSIS OF REGION OF INTEREST............................................................................ 70
FIGURE 4-13: RESULT OF A DEPOSITION ANALYSIS............................................................................................... 70
FIGURE 4-14: EXPORTED RESULT IN GOOGLE EARTH ........................................................................................... 71
FIGURE 4-15: GOOGLE EARTH OPTIONS ............................................................................................................... 72
FIGURE 4-16: GOOGLE EARTH PROJECTION AND SPHEROID (DATUM) DROP-DOWN MENUS............................. 73
FIGURE 4-17: THE TWO STOPPING CRITERIA AVAILABLE IN RAMMS ................................................................... 74
FIGURE 4-18: SUMMARY OF MOVING MASS INFORMATION WINDOWS ............................................................. 75
FIGURE 4-19: STOPPING BEHAVIOUR OF A RAMMS SIMULATION. ...................................................................... 75
FIGURE 4-20: STOPPING BEHAVIOUR OF A HYDROGRAPH RAMMS SIMULATION ............................................... 76
FIGURE 4-21: STOPPING BEHAVIOUR OF A BLOCK RELEASE RAMMS SIMULATION ............................................. 76
FIGURE 4-22: CENTER-OF-MASS TRAVEL SPEEDS ................................................................................................. 77
FIGURE 4-23: RELEASE AREA WHERE A DAM IS SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT. ............................................................ 79
FIGURE 4-24: NEW DEM WITH DAM AT LOCATION OF POLYGON SHAPEFILE. ..................................................... 79
FIGURE 4-25: SELECT NEW XYZ-FILE WITH DAM INFORMATION. ......................................................................... 79
FIGURE 4-26: SIMULATION WITHOUT MITIGATION MEASURES AND WITH TWO DAMS ..................................... 80
FIGURE 4-27: COMPARISON OF THE PROFILES OF TWO MITIGATION MEASURES IN RAMMS. ........................... 80
FIGURE 4-28: DAM WITH GRADUALLY RISING SIDE WALLS. ................................................................................. 81
FIGURE 5-1: SIMULATIONS WITH BEST-FIT PARAMETERS .................................................................................... 84
FIGURE 5-2: COMPARISON OF DISCHARGE CURVES OF A BLOCK RELEASE AND A HYDROGRAPH ....................... 86
FIGURE 5-3: COMPARISON OF THE ININDATED AREAS OF A BLOCK RELEASE AND A HYDROGRAPH ................... 87
FIGURE 5-4: ADDING EROSION POLYGON AREAS. ................................................................................................ 88
FIGURE 5-5: EROSION PARAMETERS. .................................................................................................................... 89
FIGURE 5-6: SIMULATED CHANNEL-BED EROSION. .............................................................................................. 90
FIGURE 5-7: FRONT STEEPNESS COMPARISON ..................................................................................................... 91
115
FIGURE 6-1: GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI) .................................................................................................. 92
FIGURE 6-2: RAMMS GUI. ................................................................................................................................... 104
FIGURE 6-3: DEBRIS FLOW FLOW PANEL WITH FOUR TABS ............................................................................... 105
FIGURE 6-4: NO TRANSPARENCY (LEFT) AND 40% TRANSPARENCY (RIGHT) OF SIMULATION RESULT. ............. 105
FIGURE 6-5: DEBRISFLOW PANEL - FILES TAB ..................................................................................................... 106
FIGURE 6-6: DEBRIS FLOW PANEL – GENERAL TAB ............................................................................................. 107
FIGURE 6-7: DEBRIS FLOW PANEL – VOLUMES TAB............................................................................................ 108
FIGURE 6-8: DEBRIS FLOW PANEL – REGION TAB ............................................................................................... 109
FIGURE 6-9: THE ACTIVE TIME (20S) IS SHOWN IN THE TIME SLIDER . .............................................................. 109
FIGURE 6-10: STATUS INFORMATION SHOWN IN THE LEFT STATUS BAR........................................................... 109
FIGURE 6-11: POSITION INFORMATION AND TRIANGLE SIMULATION RESULTS IN THE RIGHT STATUS BAR. .... 110
FIGURE 6-12: COLORBAR..................................................................................................................................... 110

116
List of tables
TABLE 3.1: LISTING OF FILES AND DIRECTORIES CREATED WITH A NEW RAMMS::DEBRISFLOW PROJECT. ........ 25
TABLE 3.2: DATA FOR DISCHARGE HYDROGRAPH. ............................................................................................... 43
TABLE 3.3: PARAMETERS FOR EROSION AREAS. ................................................................................................... 47
TABLE 5.1: PARAMETERS FOR CALIBRATION FOR THE CASE STUDY OF DORFBACH, RANDA (CH). ...................... 82
TABLE 5.2: FIELD ESTIMATIONS OF HEIGHT AND FLOW VELOCITY FOR DORFBACH, RANDA (CH). ...................... 83
TABLE 5.3: SUGGESTIONS FOR SETTING THE VISCOUS-TURBULENT FRICTION PARAMETER Ξ. ........................... 83
TABLE 5.4: GENERAL SUGGESTION FOR THE INITIAL VALUES OF THE VOELLMY FRICTION COEFFICIENTS ......... 83
TABLE 5.5: BEST-FIT VOELLMY FRICTION COEFFICIENTS FOR THE CASE STUDY OF DORFBACH, RAND (CH). ....... 84
TABLE 5.6: RESULTING MAXIMUM FLOW HEIGHTS AND VELOCITIES .................................................................. 84

Third-Party Software

The following third-party software components are used in RAMMS:

7-zip:

• We sometimes use 7za.exe to zip data.

• 7-zip is licensed under GNU LGPL.
• The source code of 7-zip is available at www.7-zip.org.

Mtee:

• Mtee is a Win32 console application that sends any data it receives to stdout and to any num-
ber of files.
• Mtee is released under MIT License https://ritchielawrence.github.io/mtee/.

117
Index

µ
E
µ 16
Edit hydrograph table 55
End time 53
3
Enter Point Coordinates 69
3-Point Hydrograph Calculation 55 Erosion 18, 46
Critical shear stress 47
A Density 47
Erosion rate 47
About RAMMS 37 Example 88
Add data 38 Max erosion depth 47
Add Deposition to DEM 81 Pot. erosion depth 47
Add Topographic Changes (Erosion/Deposition) to DEM Export 73
19 GIF animation 73
Add/Change Image 31 Image File 73
Add/Change Map 30 Export Point Plot Data 68
Applications 82 Export Profile Plot Data 67
AutoWebUpdate 13
F
B
Files tab 106
Background Color 35 Flow discharge 65
BATCH calculations 59 Friction 16
Block release 86
G
C
GEOTIFF 14
Calculation Domain 48 GIF animation 69
Calibration 18, 82 Google Earth 71
Center of mass 77 Graphical User Interface 104
Cohesion 17 Grid resolution 53
Colorbar 33 GUI 104
Colorbar Properties 35
Create Point Time Plot 69 H
Curvature 17
Hillshade visualization 29
D Hydrograph 15, 41, 86
Location 44
Dam 78 Max discharge 43
Add DAM to DEM 78 Volume 43
Define Additional MuXi Areas 54 Hydrograph Tab 55, 56
DEM 14 Hydrograph/Release Shapefile 55, 56
DEM Directory 20
Density 53
I
Deposition analysis 28, 69
Details/Edit release area 39 IDL Visual Studio Merge Modules 8
Digital Elevation Model 14 Inflow direction 44, 55
Display tab 33 Input hydrograph 41
Drag & Drop 28 Installation 4
Draw New Domain 48
Draw New Line Profile 68
Draw new polygon shapefile 38
118
 L Scenarios 15
Sediment erosion rate 19
License request file 11 Set as hydrograph 28
Licensing 11 Shapefile Properties 27
Line profile 65 Shapefiles 26
LOW FLUX 61 Simulation contour lines 34
Stop Tab 57
M Stopping criteria 74
Structures 78
Map Directory 20 Subtract Erosion from DEM 19
Mitigation measures 80 Subtract release height from DEM 56
MuXi Tab 54 System requirements 4

N T
New project 22 TIME END CONDITION 61
Time plot 65
O
Orthophoto Directory 20
U
Outflow 60 Update 13
Output Log File 61 Use BLOCK release 55, 56

P V
Potential erosion depth 19 Voellmy 83
Preferences 20 Friction coefficients 83
Project information 61 Granular 83
Muddy 83
R
Recent 94
W
Release area 38 Working directory 21
Release Properties 28 Working Directory 20
Results 60
Run in background 52
Y
Run Simulation 51
Yield stress 17
S
Ξ
Save Active Position 35
Save Line Profile Points 67 ξ 16
Save point Location 68

119