Synopsis

Geophysical flows such as debris flows, avalanches and floods pose significant geohazards in mountainous areas, likely worsened by impending global climate change. The multi-phase and multi-scale nature of these flows shapes their initiation, transportation, erosion, impact and runout dynamics, and makes them challenging to predict and model. We present a multiresolution framework for modeling multiphase geophysical flows by coupling computational fluid dynamics with the discrete element method. Four modules, resolved, unresolved and mixed-resolved-unresolved, and GPU-accelerated CFD-DEM, have been developed to model multiscale and multiphase particulate systems at varying resolutions. For instance, the resolved module probes turbulent fluid-arbitrary-shaped solids-structure interactions in geophysical flows, enabling high-fidelity modeling of debris flows carrying driftwood and boulders against forests. Shapes of driftwood, boulders, and trees are captured from reduced-scale samples using X-ray CT techniques, and the CFD and DEM models utilizing the immersed boundary (IB) and signed distance field (SDF) methods, respectively. Conversely, the unresolved module simulates debris flows interacting with erodible beds across full-scale terrains, facilitating comprehensive modeling of debris flows, avalanches and floods impacting various countermeasures. As a result, the multiresolution CFD-DEM framework provides a unified treatment of multiscale and multiphase particulate systems, offering a promising tool for understanding and predicting geophysical flow dynamics and mitigations. Notably, this framework represents a pioneering advancement in geohazard modeling and holds promise for applications in diverse fields such as nature, engineering, and industry involving multiscale, multiphase particulate systems.

About the Speaker

Dr. Kong Yong is a National High-Level Young Talent Professor at a State Key Laboratory within Chengdu University of Technology and serves as an Editor for Landslides. He received his Ph.D. in 2020 from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, after which he worked as a Research Assistant Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Dr. Kong is a dedicated researcher specializing in computational geohazards and geomechanics. He presents a multiresolution CFD-DEM framework for modeling multiphase and multiphysics particulate systems. The Association of Geohazard Professionals (AGHP) has recognized his research as “revolutionizing engineering design and shaping ongoing research.”

Fee :

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Please register by 18:30 on 26 February 2026. Successful applicants will receive webinar details after registration. CPD certificate will be sent to the attendees, who attended more than 80% of the webinar time, within 2 weeks after the webinar.

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