An Experimental and Computer Simulation Study of Tailing Flow Attributed to A Dam Breach

Abstract

The tailing flow generated after dam failure will evolve into Geo-hazards like debris flows. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the evolution and influence range of tailing flow for disaster prevention and mitigation. Physical model experiments and numerical calculation are two major methods in Dam-failure research. These two methods can verify and complement each other, because the former can modify parameters of the latter and the latter can expand the research scope. In this study, a proposed tailing dam was simulated and calculated by using physical model experiment and simulation (Ramms). The erosion process of the dam body of the tailing flow was monitored by the model experiments. The numerical calculation parameters were adjusted to make the results closer to the actual conditions. This study aim to verify the reliability and effectiveness of the debris flow Ramms based on Voellmy model in dam failure simulation. The experiment showed that the velocity (Vmax =38.3 m/s), submerge area (Smax=0.558 km2) and the deposition depth (Hmax=36 m) of the tailing flow. It reflected that the Voellmy model can predict the flow state of tailing flow in the physical model experiments. So it can provide theoretical support and technical reference for the design and management of tailing dam.