Numerical simulation of failure process of buildings under the impact of flow slide

Flow slide is a form of landslide that can pose a great threat to the surrounding population and buildings. The collapse of buildings is an important cause of injury and death, so it is highly important to understand the failure process of buildings under the impact of flow slide and put forward effective methods for the hazard mitigation. In this paper, complex fluid-structure interaction between flow slide and buildings is simulated using SPH-FEM method. Flow material is modeled by SPH method which is a powerful tool for handling fluid problems, while the buildings are modeled by FEM elements with erosion algorithm. The runout characteristics and failure process of buildings under the impact of flow slide are both simulated. Different failure mechanisms are identified at different locations. The results indicate that this method is an applicable tool for analyzing the failure process of buildings and is promising to be used to assess the risk of buildings to flow slide.