Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A scenario-based risk framework for determining consequences of different failure modes of earth dams

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Failure modes for earth dams are extensively reviewed and analysed using a three-pronged approach including a literature review, physical observations of a representative earth dam site and finite element structural analysis of the dam wall. Several failure scenarios are used for predicting consequences in terms of downstream inundation and damage. The fluid flow component is performed using the mesh-free smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. For a representative earthen dam, piping and landslip are identified as key failure modes based on a combination of finite element analysis, theory and physical observations. Inundation behaviour is very different for the two failure modes. The landslip failure is the most critical one for the dam studied with flood water breaking the river bank and affecting surrounding property and farmland. For the piping failures, water flow from the initial pipes formed for significant periods before they collapse, but the flow rates are small compared with that of the much larger landslip mode. After failure, fragments of the collapsing wall block the breach and can considerably restrict the flood discharge. In some cases, the water pressure is able to push the obstructing material downstream and some minor flooding occurs, but in others cases the breach can remain blocked with little flooding occurring. A prototype risk framework is developed using the small database of the pre-computed flooding scenarios and key variables that affect inundation such as water level in the reservoir. This can be used to estimate inundation maps for as yet non-computed scenarios through interpolation and superposition techniques. The implementation of the risk framework is demonstrated by the estimation of inundation maps for two in-between non-computed reservoir levels. Inundation due to multiple breaches is also estimated by superposition of three single-breach scenarios. Results are compared against the simulated multiple breach. A preliminary implementation of this risk framework into a geographic information system is also described.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
Fig. 25
Fig. 26
Fig. 27
Fig. 28
Fig. 29
Fig. 30
Fig. 31
Fig. 32
Fig. 33
Fig. 34
Fig. 35

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Begnudelli L, Sanders BF (2007) Simulation of the St. Francis dam-break flood. J Eng Mech 133(11):1200–1212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biswas AK, Chatterjee S (1971) Dam disasters—an assessment. Eng J 54(3):3–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannata M, Marzocchi R (2012) Two-dimensional dam break flooding simulation: a GIS-embedded approach. Nat Hazards 61:1143–1159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleary PW, Monaghan JJ (1999) Conduction modelling using smoothed particle hydrodynamics. J Comput Phys 148:227–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleary PW, Prakash M (2004) Discrete element modelling and smoothed particle hydrodynamics: potential in the environmental sciences. Philos Trans R Soc Lond A 362:2003–2030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleary PW, Prakash M, Ha J, Stokes N, Scott C (2007) Smoothed particle hydrodynamics: status and future potential. Progr Comput Fluid Dyn 7(2–4):70–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleary PW, Prakash M, Rothauge K (2010) Combining digital terrain and surface textures with large-scale particle-based computational models to predict dam collapse and landslide events. Int J Image Data Fusion 1(4):337–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleary PW, Prakash M, Mead S, Tang X, Wang H, Ouyang S (2012) Dynamic simulation of dam-break scenarios for risk analysis and disaster management. Int J Image Data Fusion 3(4):333–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colagrossi A, Landrini M (2003) Numerical simulation of interfacial flows by smoothed particle hydrodynamics. J Comput Phys 191:448–475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crespo AJC, Gómez-Gesteira M, Dalrymple RA (2007) 3D SPH simulation of large waves mitigation with a dike. J Hydraul Res 45(5):631–642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins SJ, Silvester TB, Cleary PW (2012) Three dimensional wave impact on a rigid structure using smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Int J Numer Meth Fluids 68(12):1471–1496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eleventh five-year science and technology support program: Test and simulation of dam-break successful field test piping dam failure: http://www.nhri.cn/kyjz/200909301536302477ea.aspx. Accessed 9th Nov 2011

  • Gallegos AH, Schubert JE, Sanders BF (2009) Two-dimensional high-resolution modelling of dam break: a case study of Baldwin Hills, California. Adv Water Resour 32(8):1323–1335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez-Gesteira M, Dalrymple RA (2004) Using a three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics method for wave impact on a tall structure. J Waterway Port Ocean Eng 130:63–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haibin W (2000) One hundred cases of success of flood fighting and rescue (M, CN). Water Resources and Hydropower Press, case no: 82

  • Hanson G, Cook KR, Hunt SL (2005) Physical modelling of overtopping erosion and breach formation of cohesive embankments. Trans ASAE 48(5):1783–1794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilton JE, Cleary PW (2012) A multi-scale method for geophysical flow events. Int J Multiscale Comput Eng 10:375–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes JP, Graham DI (2010) Comparison of incompressible and weakly-compressible SPH models for free-surface water flows. J Hydraul Res 48:105–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang J, Yang Z (2008) Laws of dam failures of small-sized reservoirs and countermeasures. Chin J Geotech Eng 30(11):1626–1631

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang S (1998) Application of stochastic differential equations in risk assessment for flood releases. Hydrol Sci J 43(3):349–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson FA, Illes P (1976) Classification of dam failures. Water Power and Dam Construction, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Kao HM, Chang TJ (2012) Numerical modelling of dam break induced flood and inundation using smoothed particle hydrodynamics. J Hydrol 448–449:232–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lakehal R, Djemili L, Houichi L (2011) Nomograms for calculating the safety factor of homogeneous earth dams in long-term stability. African J Environ Sci Tech 5:755–759

    Google Scholar 

  • Landslip collapse of the Ajkai Timfoldgyar earth tailings dam: http://galeria.index.hu/belfold/2010/10/05/legifelvetelek_az_atszakadt_gatrol/. Accessed 9th Nov 2011

  • Lee ES, Violeau D, Issa R, Ploix S (2010) Application of weakly compressible and truly incompressible SPH to 3D water collapse in waterworks. J Hydraul Res 48:50–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang Y, Chen J, Chen L (2011) Mathematical model for piping erosion based on fluid-solid interaction and soils structure. In: Proceedings of the 2011 GeoHunan international conference, ASCE conference proceedings. doi:10.1061/47628(407)14

  • Lodhi MS, Agrawal DK (2012) Dam-break simulations under various likely scenarios and mapping using GIS: case of a proposed dam on river Yamuna, India. J Mt Sci 9:214–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald TC, Monopolis JL (1984) Breaching characteristics of dam failures. J. Hydraulic Eng 110(5):567–586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Middlebrooks TA (1953) Earth dam practice in United States. Trans ASCE 118:697–722

    Google Scholar 

  • Monaghan JJ (1994) Simulating free surface flows with SPH. J Comput Phys 110:399–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monaghan JJ (2005) Smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Rep Prog Phys 68(8):1703–1759

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MSC Marc 2010 user manual: http://simcompanion.mscsoftware.com/infocenter/index?page=content&id=DOC9452&cat=MARC_DOCUMENTATION_2010&actp=LIST. Accessed 13th March 2014

  • Prakash M, Debroux F, Cleary P (2001) Three dimensional modelling of dam break induced flows using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics. In: 14th Australasian fluid mechanics conference, Adelaide, Australia, 10–14th Dec 2001, pp 379–382

  • Prakash M, Rothauge K, Cleary PW (2014) Modelling the impact of dam failure scenarios on flood inundation using SPH. Appl Math Model. doi:10.1016/j.apm.2014.03.011

  • Shao S, Lo EYM (2003) Incompressible SPH method for simulating Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows with a free surface. Adv Water Resour 7:787–800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • US department of the interior bureau of reclamation: http://www.usbr.gov/ssle/damsafety/Risk/pfma/TabI-SeepageandPipingFailureModes.pdf. Accessed June 2012

  • Violeau D, Issa R (2007) Numerical modelling of complex turbulent free surface flows with the SPH method. Int J Numer Method Fluids 53:277–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Bowles DS (2006) Dam breach simulations with multiple breach locations under wind and wave actions. Adv Water Resour 29:1222–1237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao S, Li Y (1999) Mechanism analysis and remedy of water gushing through pipes in main dam. J Hunan Univers (Natural Sci Ed) S1:art. TV698.233 (in Chinese)

  • Zhang LM, Zhu Y, Jia JS (2009) Analysis of earth dam failures—a database approach. Georisk 3(3):184–189

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to AusAID for their financial support for the project on Landscape Scale Monitoring and Modelling. This paper presents outcomes from the second stage of this project. We greatly appreciate all assistance provided by Anhui Provincial Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and the local dam authorities for visiting the Sanwan reservoir. We also acknowledge the Anhui Provincial Bureau for providing the DTM of the Sanwan Reservoir region.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics, Private Bag 33, Clayton South, VIC, 3169, Australia

    Paul W. Cleary, Mahesh Prakash, Stuart Mead, Vincent Lemiale & Geoff K. Robinson

  2. Satellite Surveying and Mapping Application Centre, No. 28, Lianhuachixi Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100830, China

    Fanghong Ye, Sida Ouyang & Xinming Tang

Authors
  1. Paul W. Cleary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mahesh Prakash
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stuart Mead
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vincent Lemiale
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Geoff K. Robinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fanghong Ye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sida Ouyang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Xinming Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahesh Prakash.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cleary, P.W., Prakash, M., Mead, S. et al. A scenario-based risk framework for determining consequences of different failure modes of earth dams. Nat Hazards 75, 1489–1530 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1379-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1379-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation