Application of a 3-D CFD model to investigate flood-related engineering problems

Daniel Horna Munoz,George Constantinescu,A Paquier,N Rivière

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/20184006004

Daniel Horna Munoz, George Constantinescu + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20184006004

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Abstract

The paper discusses the application of a fully 3-D, non-hydrostatic, RANS model with deformable free-surface capabilities to several main types of flood-related engineering problems. The model is found to accurately simulate the dam break flow developing in a 900 open channel bend for which detailed validation data from a laboratory experiment are available. First practical application deals with mitigation of flooding extent via implementation of flood protection structures such as floodwalls. Numerical results show that the floodwalls effectively protect the critical regions situated in the vicinity of the river and the reduction of the flooded area with respect to the case when floodwalls are not present is about the same at high-flow conditions and at low-flow conditions. The second application deals with prediction of flow structure around a location containing a bridge whose deck becomes submerged as the flood wave passes the bridge location. The final application considers the effects of a sudden dam break failure for a dam situated upstream of the Iowa City, USA.

Highlights

Numerical models generally employed to study flood-related problems are based on solving the 1-D or the 2-D Saint-Venant equations
In the present paper we show that such a 3-D RANS model using the Volume-of-Fluid method to calculate the free surface position can be employed for several main types of applications in which a flood wave is generated
Horna-Munoz and Constantinescu (2016) discuss several validation test cases for steady and unsteady flow in channels and domains containing natural river reaches in which an unsteady hydrograph is imposed at the upstream boundary. Given that another main type of applications intended for this model is prediction of dam break flows in natural environments, validation for this type of flows is required

Summary

Introduction

Numerical models generally employed to study flood-related problems are based on solving the 1-D or the 2-D Saint-Venant equations. In the present paper we show that such a 3-D RANS model using the Volume-of-Fluid method to calculate the free surface position can be employed for several main types of applications in which a flood wave is generated.

Results

Conclusion