Comparison of hydrodynamic and sediment transport model for dam break analysis over mobile bed

Abstract

A dam failure causing uncontrolled release of impounded water can cause considerable damage to life and properties. The intensity of the failure of dams varies depending on the extent of the flood characteristics, the size of the flooded area, the size of the population at risk and the time available for warning. In addition to this, huge morphological changes also occur at the downstream of the dam due to the dam break flood. This leads to the need for an analysis of sediment transport, together with the hydrodynamic analysis of the dam break flow, to provide a realistic picture of its devastating impact. This study uses an open source CFD software named TELEMAC-MASCARET to prepare a numerical model to simulate a 2-D dam break flow over mobile bed. A hydrodynamic model and an integrated model that comprises of sediment transport analysis are prepared and the results are compared to determine the most effective model for a 2-D dam break analysis. The study indicates that the integrated model performs better than the hydrodynamic model and replicates the real scenario more adequately.