Multiple Rockfall Impacts on a Sand CushionComposed of Non-Spherical ParticlesUsing Three-Dimensional DEM

Multiple Rockfall Impacts on a Sand CushionComposed of Non-Spherical ParticlesUsing Three-Dimensional DEM | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Multiple Rockfall Impacts on a Sand CushionComposed of Non-Spherical ParticlesUsing Three-Dimensional DEM Yangli Zhou, Haiying Fu, Mingzhe Zhou, Yanyan Zhao, Zhihao Wang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3722598/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 04 Feb, 2025 Read the published version in Natural Hazards → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Rockfall disasters are one of the primary geological hazards on Earth, and a rock shed with a sand cushion plays a crucial role in rockfall protection. Previous studies have mainly focused on the dynamic response of rockfall on the sand cushion for a single impact. However, in actual rockfall disasters, it is common for the sand cushions of rock sheds to suffer multiple rockfall impacts. This study utilized a three-dimensional discrete element method to investigate the dynamic response of rockfall on the sand cushion for multiple impacts from different heights. For the first time, non-spherical particles were used to simulate the sand particles composing the sand cushion, and comparative analysis confirmed that non-spherical particles better replicate the characteristics of the sand cushion compared to spherical particles. Subsequently, in-depth investigations were conducted on two scenarios: multiple rockfall impacts at the same position and multiple rockfall impacts at different positions, and specifically analyzed the impact force and penetration depth. The results indicated that when the rockfall impacts multiple times at the same position, both the maximum impact force and the maximum penetration depth increase with the number of impacts. When the rockfall impacts multiple times simultaneously at different positions, they have no mutual influence when the distance between the two rockfall impacts is greater than 6R. This study demonstrates the significance of studying multiple rockfall impacts, providing valuable insights for the rational design of rock sheds for rockfall protection and performance evaluations in the face of multiple rockfall disasters. Rockfall multiple impacts sand cushion nonspherical particle discrete element method Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 04 Feb, 2025 Read the published version in Natural Hazards → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Major revisions 21 Nov, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 08 Jan, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 01 Jan, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 06 Dec, 2023 First submitted to journal 06 Dec, 2023 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3722598","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":264607360,"identity":"43272671-09ef-4e87-8d5b-2d0bc39a21d3","order_by":0,"name":"Yangli Zhou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southwest Jiaotong University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yangli","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhou","suffix":""},{"id":264607361,"identity":"f5b5ac24-1d4a-40a9-8071-b524cd2f6b8d","order_by":1,"name":"Haiying Fu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFAC5gYgYQNhS4DJBEJaGEFa0qBaEojXchjKIUaL/IzExsc8FeejDQ6wP5Ow/HGYgZ89x4Dh5w48dsxIbDbmOXM7d8MBHjMJiYTDDJI9bwwYe8/g1sIskdgmObMNrIXtBkiLwY0cA2bGNtxa2MBa/p0DamF/BtZiT0gLD1CLxMeGA0AtDGYQWyQIaJHgedhs8OFYcu7MwzzmPyTS0nkkzjwrONiLR4t8e/LBBwk1drl9x9sfG0vYWMvxtydvfPATjxYGgQQIrXAYFBZAl4I4B/BoYGDgh0rLNwBD/ANepaNgFIyCUTBSAQACsFJxH5lQUAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Southwest Jiaotong University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Haiying","middleName":"","lastName":"Fu","suffix":""},{"id":264607362,"identity":"a45ae67a-078e-44ef-b1bb-fe276389423f","order_by":2,"name":"Mingzhe Zhou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southwest Jiaotong University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mingzhe","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhou","suffix":""},{"id":264607363,"identity":"079c9347-28b0-4bba-a1d3-1b1759279ef4","order_by":3,"name":"Yanyan Zhao","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southwest Jiaotong University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yanyan","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhao","suffix":""},{"id":264607364,"identity":"71a6bfe2-55e8-41dd-9b30-e8a913704e6a","order_by":4,"name":"Zhihao Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southwest Jiaotong University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhihao","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2023-12-07 22:29:47","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3722598/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3722598/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-025-07146-x","type":"published","date":"2025-02-04T15:57:50+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":49136840,"identity":"fd670411-1c90-40c3-b2c0-39d22ef5eb63","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:23:43","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1379193,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eDiagram of non-spherical particles\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/f99f18fab33917193c580b9b.png"},{"id":49136848,"identity":"0f3ad64f-c317-4490-a99d-dec2f1e6220a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:23:43","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":674018,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eExperimental-Scale numerical model diagram\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/eebe9c4e0b7f40698cd270a0.png"},{"id":49136841,"identity":"3a2492cd-966b-45e7-b224-5ce7eda73e00","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:23:43","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":479445,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eComparison of the impact force time–history curve among the laboratory tests, numerical model of spherical particles and numerical model of non-spherical particles under multiple impacts: (a) first impact; 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(a) H = 10 m; (b) H = 20 m; (c) H = 30 m; (d) H = 40 m; and (e) H = 50 m\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/490ad92cbe10a08bfa3cc3ec.png"},{"id":49136839,"identity":"9510383d-baaf-44c0-95d1-e5e8ef3aac6d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:23:43","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":138520,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMaximum impact force of multiple rockfall impacts on the sand cushion at five drop heights\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/84111b218bcfbd3ef8537440.png"},{"id":49136846,"identity":"54e64c43-47e2-4337-a268-a180c6a35346","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:23:43","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":240103,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTime–history curve of the penetration depth of multiple rockfall impacts on the sand cushion at different drop heights. 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10","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4934909,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eVertical displacement cloud map of particles in the sand cushion when double falling rocks impacting at different positions (a) OA; (b)OB; (c)OC; (d)OD; and (e)OE\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.11.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/00d5dd2b105c742bc32b8710.png"},{"id":49137584,"identity":"09a5a5cb-dd70-4a88-a074-712a056890a8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:31:43","extension":"png","order_by":11,"title":"Figure 11","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":488789,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTime–history curve of the impact force by single falling rock at different positions on the top surface of the sand cushion at a drop height of 50 m\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.12.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/ecd8a831271533a9b08c999a.png"},{"id":49136843,"identity":"02b1cc7b-c4a5-464d-bcd8-7a40013c24c0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:23:43","extension":"png","order_by":12,"title":"Figure 12","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":342717,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMaximum impact force results by single and double falling rocks impacting different positions on the top surface of the sand cushion at five drop heights\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.13.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/881b23acd27b51d51f8710a3.png"},{"id":49137587,"identity":"8b1889f3-4076-493d-ae02-868bd9000a04","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:31:43","extension":"png","order_by":13,"title":"Figure 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heights\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.15.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/9d4895d5ba86708e860af5ef.png"},{"id":49136851,"identity":"3f2d34a3-9f49-47cf-b028-62c250f60f83","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 17:23:43","extension":"png","order_by":15,"title":"Figure 15","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":289991,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMaximum penetration depth of multiple rockfall impacts on the sand cushion at five drop heights\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"OnlineFig.9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3722598/v1/022ad0e2e1b228c99ef4d662.png"},{"id":49138330,"identity":"ff9482f5-d23b-432c-919a-48f6d84fb247","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-03 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Previous studies have mainly focused on the dynamic response of rockfall on the sand cushion for a single impact. However, in actual rockfall disasters, it is common for the sand cushions of rock sheds to suffer multiple rockfall impacts. This study utilized a three-dimensional discrete element method to investigate the dynamic response of rockfall on the sand cushion for multiple impacts from different heights. For the first time, non-spherical particles were used to simulate the sand particles composing the sand cushion, and comparative analysis confirmed that non-spherical particles better replicate the characteristics of the sand cushion compared to spherical particles. Subsequently, in-depth investigations were conducted on two scenarios: multiple rockfall impacts at the same position and multiple rockfall impacts at different positions, and specifically analyzed the impact force and penetration depth. 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