Experiments on kinematic characteristics and energy dissipation in rockfall movement on a slope

This paper presents an experimental methodology for tracking trajectories of rockfall-saltation and extracting kinematic parameters from collisions between rockfalls and a slope surface. We conducted a series of experiments, each featuring different initial impact angles. Rockfall trajectories and their three-dimensional angular velocities were measured by a high-speed camera and built-in Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), respectively. Our experiments demonstrate that rockfall dissipates its total energy as it progresses along the slope, and the dissipation rates are largely determined by the initial impact angle. Following the classification of rockfall-bed collisions into two modes—Mode-1: saltation dominant and Mode-2: rolling and sliding dominant, we examined the correlations between impact angles and the probability density functions of kinetic, linear, and rotational kinetic energy, as well as the coefficients of kinetic friction and restitution in both modes. Our findings highlight the crucial role of three-dimensional angular velocities in rockfall kinematics, displaying a notable divergence of up to 60% when compared with their two-dimensional counterparts. This is particularly evident in Mode-2, where the increase in rotational energy following collisions exceeds that of Mode-1 × 25%. The experimental investigation contributes to a deeper understanding of the fundamental physical processes inherent in successive rockfall-slope collisions, thereby benefitting predictive capabilities for rockfall disasters in mountainous regions.