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Title: BREACH FORMATION: LABORATORY AND NUMERICAL MODELLING OF BREACH FORMATION

Author
item HASSAN, MOHAMED - HR WALLINGFORD, UK
item MORRIS, MARK - HR WALLINGFORD, UK
item Hanson, Gregory
item LAKHAL, KARIM - ENG SCHOOL TECH, FRANCE

Submitted to: State Dam Safety Officials Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2004
Publication Date: 9/30/2004
Citation: Hassan, M., Morris, M., Hanson, G.J., Lakhal, K. 2004. Breach formation: laboratory and numerical modelling of breach formation. In: Dam Safety 2004. Proceedings of the Association State Dam Safety Officials, September 2004, Phoenix, Arizona. 2004 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary: Our ability to predict the rate of water released from an earthen dam failure have been limited. Lack of detailed data and understanding of the failure processes and rate of failure are probably the main reasons for this. A program of field and laboratory experiments has been undertaken under the European Commission research project "IMPACT" to gather needed details. One of the purposes of this research program is to improve the understanding of the breach processes and develop improved prediction capabilities. Therefore, in conjunction with this research, computer model development and verification have been carried out using the data from field and laboratory experiments. This paper presents details of the laboratory experiments and numerical modeling results.

Technical Abstract: Our ability to predict the flow and rate of development of a breach through a flood embankment or dam to date has been limited. Lack of data and understanding of the breach processes are probably the main reasons for this. A program of field and laboratory experiments has been undertaken under the European Commission research project "IMPACT". One of the purposes of this research program is to improve the understanding of the breach processes. In conjunction with this program, numerical modeling comparisons and development have been conducted using the data from field and laboratory experiments. This paper presents details of the laboratory experiments and numerical modeling results.