Breaching of Sea Dikes and Subsequent Flooding Processes as Prerequisite for Disaster Prevention Measures

A model system for the simulation of the breaching process induced by both wave overtopping from the shoreward side of dikes and wave impacts from the seaside, has been developed and is described in this paper. The model system is made of a preliminary model and a detailed model. The former has been used to simulate the breach formation and growth in a real coastal dike, including the effects of waves and grass protection. Details of the models are given and exemplary results are compared to each other. Furthermore, inundation models have been applied to model the flood induced by dike breaching where the uncertainties of the model and further research requirements are discussed in more detail.