Failure by overtopping of earth dams. Quantification of the discharge hydrograph

Abstract

Dam overtopping is one of the major causes for the failure of earth dams. The objectives of the present paper are the characterization of the breach evolution and the quantification of the breach hydrograph caused by dam overtopping. To meet these objectives an embankment dam laboratory model was led to fail by overtopping under hydraulic and geotechnical controlled conditions. The data presented concerns the hydrograph, calculated by indirect and direct methods. The key features of the hydrograph are discussed attending to the observed evolution of the failure event.