THARMIT: Torrent hazard control in the European alps, practical tools and methodologies for hazard assessment and risk mitigation

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0428

Key words (English)

Debris flows; field observations; numerical modeling; alpine torrents; Earth Sciences; Environmental Protection; Meteorology; Safety

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: EVG1-1999-00012

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.4a.8 Generic R&D activities

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: University of Padova (I)

Abstract (English)

Torrent activity in the Alps represents a major threat to permanent settlements, tourist infrastructures and European transit routes. THARMIT will develop practical tools and methodologies for hazard assessment, prevention, monitoring and mitigation. Field measurements will be coupled with simulation models to obtain a deeper knowledge of the dynamics and factors controlling triggering and propagation of the events.

Scientific objectives and approach
The overall objectives of THARMIT include:
1) improving the understanding of the predisposition and triggering factors associated to torrent hazard, by analysing and identifying the role of man-induced alterations of the environment, the combinations of meteorological events responsible for triggering, and the corresponding forecasting methods;
2) assessing potential torrential and debris flow scenarios, by reference to initiation, mobilisation and propagation mechanisms, related to given catchments with different characteristics of time occurrence and magnitude (volumes of materials liable to be mobilised, peak flow/debris discharge);
3) improving existing numerical simulation models by extending the set of represented phenomena and an easy use for end-users, and to compare the results of their application in different areas (both between them and with the field data);
4) providing tools which allow for a given region to obtain a sufficiently accurate overview, of existing hazards of torrential processes' magnitude and frequency; and user-friendly predictions about the short-time spatial and temporal developments of the identified hazards;
5) providing dynamic modelling of the defined hazards on the basis of the spatial and temporal variability of torrential processes founded on the combination of spatial and temporal data sets and modelled using specific process equations;
6) devising methods for saving and monitoring potentially dangerous areas by checking the efficiency and effectiveness of different types of technical countermeasures and warning systems;
7) providing new and improved practical decision-making tools and guidelines for torrent hazard assessment and the evaluation of mitigation strategies;
8) providing decision support systems to end-users (field engineers, geologists and technicians of the public and private societies and institutions);
9) Transferring the know-how to practitioners by disseminating the results through seminars and training courses.

Expected impacts
The final goal of THARMIT is to provide practical tools and methodologies for hazard assessment and risk mitigation readily available for end-users, through the advance of our quantitative understanding of the physical functioning and evolution of alpine torrents systems.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0428