Simplified Physically Based Model of Earthen Embankment Breaching
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 8
Abstract
A simplified physically based model has been developed to simulate the breaching processes of homogenous and composite earthen embankments owing to overtopping and piping. The breach caused by overtopping flow is approximated as a flat broad-crested weir with a trapezoidal cross section, downstream connected with a vertical drop (headcut) and a straight slope for cohesive and noncohesive homogeneous embankments, respectively. For a composite dam with a clay core, the downstream becomes two straight slopes after the core is exposed. The breach by piping is assumed to be a flat pipe with rectangular cross section until the pipe top collapses and overtopping takes place. Sediment transport and morphology changes on the breach top flat section and downstream slopes and inside the pipe are calculated using a nonequilibrium total-load sediment transport model, whereas the time-averaged headcut migration rate is determined using an empirical formula. Stabilities of the side slope, pipe top, headcut, and clay core are analyzed by comparing the driving and resistance forces. The breach side slope is set as the average of the steepest stable slope and its corresponding failure plane angle. The model is able to handle dam and levee breaching by adopting various routing algorithms for headwater and tailwater levels and allowing embankment base erosion. It has been tested using 50 sets of data from laboratory experiments and field case studies. The calculated peak breach discharges, breach widths, and breach characteristic times agree generally well with the measured data.
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Acknowledgments
This study is part of the research project sponsored by the USDA-ARS Specific Research Agreement No. 58-6408-7-236 in the University of Mississippi (monitored by the USDA-ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory). Dr. Yunghee Kang, previous Research Scientist at the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering (NCCHE) participated in the early development of the present model.
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 8 • August 2013
Pages: 837 - 851
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© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: May 7, 2012
Accepted: Feb 1, 2013
Published online: Feb 4, 2013
Discussion open until: Jul 4, 2013
Published in print: Aug 1, 2013
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