Landslide dam failure and flood hydraulics. Part I: experimental investigation

Landslide dam failure can trigger catastrophic flooding in the downstream. However, field observation of such flooding is rarely available, while laboratory experimental studies are sparse. The mechanism of landslide dam failure and the flood has so far remained insufficiently understood. Here, we present an experimental investigation of landslide dam failure and the flood. A total of 28 runs of experiments are carried out in a flume of 80 m × 1.2 m × 0.8 m, with differing inflow discharge, dam composition, dam geometry, and initial breach dimension. An array of twelve automatic water-level probes is deployed to measure the stage hydrographs along the flume, and the video recording of the dam failure processes facilitates an estimation of the widening of initial breach. Under the present experimental conditions with dams composed of homogeneous materials, landslide dam failure is primarily caused by erosion of overtopping flow, and lateral mass collapse is also considerable during the cause of breach widening. Cohesive clay may act to mitigate the seepage through the dam and thus its subsidence and appreciably modulate the dam failure process and the flood. However, the impacts of clay may be readily overwhelmed by a large inflow discharge and initial breach. Gravels in the dam may appreciably depress the rate of the dam failure process and thus modify the flood. The present work provides new experimental data set for testing mathematical models of the flood flow due to landslide dam failure.     

Evaluation of the overflow failure scenario and hydrograph of an embankment dam with a concrete upstream slope protection

The standard procedure in Quebec, Canada, for evaluating the failure of an embankment dam, per the Loi sur la sécurité des barrages, specifies a 30-min-long failure scenario with a breach width equal to four times the maximal height of the dam. We demonstrate a new method for evaluating the flood overtopping failure scenario for embankment dams with concrete upstream slope protection, using Toulnustouc dam for example computations. Our new methodology computes safety factors for a range of potential failure mechanisms taking into account geotechnical, hydraulic, and structural factors. We compile the results of our investigations of the various dam failure mechanisms and compare the corresponding dam failure hydrographs to the current hydrograph specified in the standard analysis procedures. Our investigations tend to invalidate the current standard procedures for evaluating the failure of rock-fill dams with concrete upstream faces, by indicating that the current standard procedures underestimate the peak failure discharge and overestimate the time to the peak discharge.     

不同沟床坡度堰塞坝溃口展宽历程试验研究

为了解堰塞坝在不同沟床坡度地段的溃口展宽历程,进行了沟床坡度为7°~13°,间隔为1°的7组水槽试验。对比分析7组试验观测数据,评价不同沟床坡度对堰塞坝溃口展宽历程的影响。得到如下结果及结论:(1)漫顶破坏的堰塞坝在不同沟床坡度地段的溃口展宽历程是十分相似的,根据其溃决特征,可将其展宽历程划分为溃口贯通、突变和稳定边坡形成等3个阶段。(2)在突变阶段溃口边坡沿x轴方向会发生多次失稳,溃口顶部形态在背水坡呈“S”型,在坝顶呈“U”型,在迎水坡呈“弧”型。(3)不同沟床坡度条件会影响突变阶段的溃决特征,随沟床坡度的增加突变阶段溃口边坡单次失稳规模表现出先增大后减小的特征,溃口边坡失稳次数呈现出先减少后增加的特征。(4)溃口边坡的稳定性主要取决于溃口的侧蚀宽度和下蚀深度,其与溃口顶、底部侧蚀宽度之差呈负相关关系,与溃口下蚀深度呈正相关关系。(5)不同沟床坡度堰塞坝的溃决流量随溃决时间的延长具有相同的变化趋势,但不同沟床坡度堰塞坝的溃决峰值流量和峰值流量到达时间却不尽相同,随沟床坡度的增加峰值流量逐渐减小,峰值流量到达时间先提前后推迟。     

土石坝溃决模拟及水流计算研究进展

对土石坝溃决模拟技术的最新研究成果进行了总结和评价,在此基础上对该研究领域今后的研究工作提出了若干建议,包括:应研究提出不同坝型溃决可能性分析评价方法;针对不同坝型开展溃坝离心模型试验,揭示在不同致灾因子作用下,土石坝溃决机理和溃口发展过程;开展土石坝初始管涌形成以后发展过程的试验研究,揭示孔流转变为堰流的控制条件;针对溃坝水流的流线曲率较大、溃坝水流大多是非恒定超临界流以及筑坝材料粒径级配范围变化大等特点,开展大型溃坝水工水力学模型试验,揭示不同坝型的溃口流量过程、泥沙输移及下游河道洪水演进规律。     

Risk assessment and mitigation for the Hongshiyan landslide dam triggered by the 2014 Ludian earthquake in Yunnan,China

An Ms 6.5 earthquake shocked the Ludian County, Yunnan Province, China, on 3 August 2014 and triggered the Hongshiyan landslide dam. The dam, with a height of 83 m and a lake capacity of 260?×?10⁶ m³, threatened more than 10,000 people. A unique feature of this landslide dam was that it formed between a man-made dam and a hydropower plant. An existing drainage tunnel connecting the lake and the hydropower plant became a natural drainage conduit for the landslide dam, which played an important role in the mitigation of the landslide dam risks. This paper reports a quantitative risk assessment for the Hongshiyan landslide dam considering both engineering and non-engineering risk mitigation measures. The risk assessment is divided into three stages according to the implementation of two engineering measures: construction of a diversion channel and excavation of a branch drainage tunnel. The dam breaching hydrographs, flood zones, population at risk, and likely fatalities in each of the three stages are analysed. The optimum evacuation strategy in each stage is also studied based on the principle of minimum total consequence. It is found that the diversion channel decreases the dam breaching peak discharge and the associated risks significantly. The branch drainage tunnel prevent the landslide dam from overtopping failure in non-flooded period; however, the landslide dam may fail by overtopping in a future flood if the inflow rate is larger than the outflow rate through the drainage tunnels, resulting in serious losses of lives and properties. The dam breaching risks in all the three stages could be largely reduced by the optimal evacuation decision, which shows that timely evacuation is vital to save life and properties. The study provides a scientific basis for decision making in landslide dam risk management.     

基于动库容曲线的水库调洪高水位查算方法研究

河道型水库因动库容特性显著,传统的静库容调洪方法难以适用,研究动库容调洪方法是亟待解决的问题。当坝前水位爬升到最高点时,库区内的洪水演进到达一种临界状态,库区内的水文、水力条件相对稳定,在出库流量和入库流量一定的情况下,可望获得最高坝前水位与同时刻库容之间良好的对应关系。依托三峡库区水文水动力耦合预报模型,建立了一组以出库流量、入库流量为参数的动库容曲线,以供调洪时快速查算最高坝前水位。采用2009年以来三峡水库16场场次洪水资料,检验所建动库容曲线的合理性。结果表明,各场洪水的最高库水位查算值与实况平均偏差仅0.20m,证明建立的基于动库容曲线的三峡水库最高库水位查算方法具有较好的实践价值。     

粉质黏土堤防漫溢溃决试验

为研究粉质黏土堤防漫溢溃决破坏过程及其对水流要素和土体性质的响应规律,以河道流量、筑堤土体含水率和孔隙率为变量,在弯道水槽中开展了9组堤防漫溢溃决概化试验.通过试验发现,粉质黏土堤漫溢溃决溃口发展过程可分为垂向侵蚀和横向扩宽两个阶段,垂向侵蚀阶段以"陡坎"后退为主要形式;筑堤土体含水率与孔隙率不仅影响了溃口垂向侵蚀以及横向扩宽速度,而且决定了溃口最终形态,河道流量主要影响堤防溃口的横向扩宽速度;溃口处流速以及下游水位变化受溃口高度的制约.拟合得到土体黏聚力与土体含水率、孔隙率的相关关系式;通过试验数据提出了由土体黏聚力和水流参数表达的"陡坎"侵蚀后退速度计算公式,证明具有一定合理性.     

粘土心墙坝漫顶溃坝过程离心模型试验与数值模拟

利用作者研制成功的溃坝离心模型试验系统,对粘土心墙坝漫顶溃决过程进行了试验研究,结果发现粘土心墙坝与均质坝溃决机理与溃口发展规律明显不同,随着漫坝水流对下游坝壳冲蚀程度的增加,粘土心墙发生剪断破坏,溃口洪水流量迅速增大.基于上述试验结果,提出了一个描述粘土心墙坝漫顶溃坝过程的数学模型,并建议了相应的数值计算方法.该模型...     

An analytical process-based approach to predicting breach width in levees constructed from dilatant soils

An accurate prediction of the breach widening rate after the onset of a levee failure is essential for flood risk assessments. Current state-of-the-art analytical breach growth relations are empirical in nature. The large variety in loading conditions, levee design, and levee construction material, combined with the limited amount of accurate measurements of breach growth, make the development of accurate empirical breach growth relations challenging. In this paper, a process-based breach widening relation is presented for levees constructed of dilatant soils. The process-based relation is derived from the weir flow equation and a process-based erosion equation. The breach widening relation can account for the effects of variations in soil parameters. For those cases for which soil parameters are unknown, a calibrated catch-all-coefficient is provided. The relation is benchmarked against the state-of-the-art empirical breach growth relation used in the Netherlands and validated against data on historical levee failures and experimental data.

     

Formation,failure, and consequences of the Xiaolin landslide dam,triggered by extreme rainfall from Typhoon Morakot,Taiwan

An extreme rainfall event on August 9, 2009, which was close to setting a world record for 48-h accumulated rainfall, induced the Xiaolin deep-seated landslide, which was located in southwestern Taiwan and had volume of 27.6?×?10⁶?m³, and caused the formation of a landslide dam. The landslide dam burst in a very short time, and little information remained afterward. We reconstructed the process of formation and failure of the Xiaolin landslide dam and also inferred the area of the impoundment and topographic changes. A 5?×?5-m digital elevation model, the recorded water stage of the Qishan River, and data from field investigation were used for analysis. The spectral magnitude of the seismic signals induced by the Xiaolin landslide and flooding due to failure of the landslide dam were analyzed to estimate the timing of the dam breach and the peak discharge of the subsequent flood. The Xiaolin landslide dam failure resulted from overtopping. We verified the longevity of the Xiaolin landslide dam at about 2 h relying on seismic signals and water level records. In addition, the inundated area, volume of the impoundment behind the Xiaolin landslide dam, and peak discharge of the flood were estimated at 92.3 ha, 19.5?×?10⁶?m³, and 17?×?10³?m³/s, respectively. The mean velocity of the flood-recession wave front due to the dam blockage was estimated at 28 km/h, and the peak flooding velocity after failure of the dam was estimated at 23 km/h. The Xiaolin landslide provides an invaluable opportunity for understanding the mechanism of deep-seated landslides and flooding processes following a landslide dam failure.     

Dam-break risk analysis of the Attabad landslide dam in Pakistan and emergency countermeasures

The Attabad landslide dam caused significant property losses and many human casualties in Pakistan, and also greatly affected the operation of the China-Pakistan Karakoram Highway (KKH). This paper discusses the risk of dam breach and hazards to the KKH project construction site following a dam breach. The paper examines the following three topics. (1) The geomorphologic dimensionless blockage index (DBI) and the analogy method were used to analyze the stability of the Attabad landslide dam. The long-term behaviors of landslide dams downstream of the Attabad landslide dam indicate that the risk of a dam breach exists, but the probability of a total dam failure is low. (2) The peak discharge of a potential breach of the Attabad landslide dam was calculated for scenarios in which 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and total failure of the dam was breached. The potential breach discharge decreases with the downstream distance. (3) The potential impacts of the landslide dam breach on the KKH project construction site were analyzed. Based on the composition of the landslide dam, the probability of a 1/3 dam breach is high. To ensure the safety of downstream areas, disaster preparedness plans that correspond to the 1/2 dam breach scenario should be developed. Based on experience in addressing the landslide dam that was caused by the Wenchuan Earthquake, artificial controlled drainage measures are suggested and provide a technical reference for addressing the Attabad landslide dam and achieving recovery and normal operation of KKH.     

Numerical simulation of landslide dam breaching due to overtopping

The breach of landslide dam often causes significant disaster in the inundated area; the prediction of breach hydrograph is in high demand for the dam breach risk evaluation. In this study, according to the model tests and Tangjiashan landslide dam breach case, the surface erosion accompanied by intermittent mass failure is known as the key breaching mechanism for landslide dam due to overtopping failure. The downstream slope angle would gradually decrease during the dam-breaching process, whereas a planar wedge failure occurs when the breach slopes at the dam crest and downstream breach channel fail. Based on the breach mechanism, a numerical model for landslide dam breach due to overtopping is developed to simulate the coupling process of water and soil. The model focuses on the breach morphology evolution during the breaching for the sake of the improvement of breach hydrograph prediction. Furthermore, the model can handle one- and two-sided breach, as well as incomplete and base erosion at the vertical direction. The case study of Tangjiashan landslide dam-breaching feedback analysis testifies the rationality of the present model with the relative errors less than 10% for peak discharge, final breach widths, and time to peak. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the final breach depth and soil erodibility affect the breach flow prediction of the landslide dam significantly, whereas the one- or two-sided breach mode is less sensitive.     

不同初始含水量条件下的堰塞坝溃决机理

在影响堰塞坝溃决的众多因素中,初始含水量影响堰塞坝的溃决机理仍不清楚。通过开展不同初始含水量条件下的水槽试验,详细探究了初始含水量对溃决过程的影响规律。结果表明：不同初始含水量条件下的溃决过程均具有3个典型阶段,分别是牵引侵蚀过程、溯源侵蚀过程和水沙运动再平衡过程;峰值流量随初始含水量的增大而增大,而溃决历时和残留坝体高度随初始含水量的增大而减小;随初始含水量的增大,溯源侵蚀作用逐渐减弱,牵引侵蚀作用增强;随初始含水量的增大,溃口展宽率降低,侵蚀率增大;初始含水量小于7.8%时,平均侵蚀率增长缓慢,大于7.8%后,平均侵蚀率增长迅速,且10.3%初始含水量对应的平均侵蚀率约为7.8%初始含水量的2倍;溃口宽深比在溃决的前两阶段随初始含水量的增大而减小;溃决结束后的宽深比随含水量的增大呈先趋近于1.00、后远离1.00的演变。     

An evaluation of existent methods for estimation of embankment dam breach parameters

The study of dam-break analysis is considered important to predict the peak discharge during dam failure. This is essential to assess economic, social and environmental impacts downstream and to prepare the emergency response plan. Dam breach parameters such as breach width, breach height and breach formation time are the key variables to estimate the peak discharge during dam break. This study presents the evaluation of existing methods for estimation of dam breach parameters. Since all of these methods adopt regression analysis, uncertainty analysis of these methods becomes necessary to assess their performance. Uncertainty was performed using the data of more than 140 case studies of past recorded failures of dams, collected from different sources in the literature. The accuracy of the existing methods was tested, and the values of mean absolute relative error were found to be ranging from 0.39 to 1.05 for dam breach width estimation and from 0.6 to 0.8 for dam failure time estimation. In this study, artificial neural network (ANN) was recommended as an alternate method for estimation of dam breach parameters. The ANN method is proposed due to its accurate prediction when it was applied to similar other cases in water resources.

     

Impact and analysis of geotechnical processes on earthfill dam breaching

For over three decades, emergency planners have used numerical models to predict breaching in earthfill dams due to extreme events such as overtopping. However, current models neglect the role of the unsaturated zone present within the downstream face of an earthfill dam. This leads to an incorrect estimation of the time and space evolution of the breaching process, as such models often oversimplify governing geotechnical aspects such as the presence of the unsaturated soil medium in the vicinity of the breach channel. The stress state in the soil due to matric suction acts as a stabilizing force for the breaching mechanism and influences the erosion of the breach channel, especially during the initial phases of the breaching. The side-slope failure mechanism observed along the breach channel is also influenced by the negative pore-water-pressures in the soil. Based on a comprehensive experimental research program carried out in the Hydraulics Laboratory at the University of Ottawa, Canada, several new concepts are proposed to incorporate geotechnical factors and techniques which must be considered during the construction of earthfill dam models for laboratory testing. Two main findings emerged from this experimental work. First, the installation of a drainage mattress at the downstream toe of the dam depressed the phreatic surface through the earthfill dam body, which caused a lag in the breaching process due to the infiltration and reduced erosion occurring in the breach channel. Second, it is essential to control compaction during the construction of the earthfill dam model, since this significantly influences the erosion, as well as the side-slope failures which occur in the breach channel. Future studies are under way by the authors with the purpose of scaling of parameters such as the matric suction and soil erodibility.     

土石坝漫顶溃决及洪水演进研究进展

土石坝漫顶溃决往往在其下游产生巨大的洪水灾难,研究坝体溃决及洪水演进是防灾减灾的需要。对土石坝漫顶溃决过程现象、机理及其模拟的研究进展进行了综述。讨论了物理模型试验的尺度设计,总结了不同尺度、不同类型、不同条件溃坝试验的研究成果;按照参数模型、简化物理模型、精细物理模型,分类总结了漫顶溃坝数学模型研究进展;阐述了溃坝洪水演进方面的试验与模拟研究。在此基础上,对该研究领域今后的研究工作提出了若干展望,包括河道边界对溃坝过程及溃坝洪水传播过程的影响、非均质土石坝溃决机理、溃坝过程中挟沙水流冲蚀规律、溃坝下游河床的冲淤调整及泥沙分选、溃坝对水生态环境的冲击影响等。     

土石坝漫顶溃决及洪水演进研究进展

土石坝漫顶溃决往往在其下游产生巨大的洪水灾难,研究坝体溃决及洪水演进是防灾减灾的需要。对土石坝漫顶溃决过程现象、机理及其模拟的研究进展进行了综述。讨论了物理模型试验的尺度设计,总结了不同尺度、不同类型、不同条件溃坝试验的研究成果;按照参数模型、简化物理模型、精细物理模型,分类总结了漫顶溃坝数学模型研究进展;阐述了溃坝洪水演进方面的试验与模拟研究。在此基础上,对该研究领域今后的研究工作提出了若干展望,包括河道边界对溃坝过程及溃坝洪水传播过程的影响、非均质土石坝溃决机理、溃坝过程中挟沙水流冲蚀规律、溃坝下游河床的冲淤调整及泥沙分选、溃坝对水生态环境的冲击影响等。     

考虑河床坡度和泄流槽横断面影响的堰塞坝溃决过程试验研究

针对缺乏地形条件和工程处置措施对堰塞坝溃决过程影响研究的现状,采用4种河床坡度(0°、1°、2°、3°)和3种泄流槽横断面型式(三角形、梯形、复合型),开展了堰塞坝溃决的模型试验。通过分析堰塞坝的溃决流量、溃决历时、溃口发展和坝体纵截面演变过程,研究了不同河床坡度和泄流槽横断面对堰塞坝溃决过程的影响规律。试验结果表明:(1)堰塞坝溃决过程可分为3个阶段。阶段Ⅰ:溃口形成阶段,溃决流量较小;阶段Ⅱ:溃口发展阶段,水流下蚀及侧蚀强烈,溃决流量到达峰值;阶段Ⅲ:衰减-平衡阶段,粗化层形成,溃口停止发展。(2)河床坡度增加意味着下游坝坡、坝顶及泄流槽的坡度增加,导致水流侵蚀能力增强,溃口下切迅猛,因此在0°～3°范围内河床坡度越大,峰值流量越大,峰现时间越早,溃决流量过程曲线越趋于“高瘦型”,且残留坝高越小。(3)泄流槽横断面型式不同导致其槽深、槽宽和侧坡坡度不同,进而影响溃口发展和溃决流量。三角形槽的水土作用面积小,溃口下切及展宽速率最高,峰值流量最大,峰现时间最早;梯形槽的槽底高程最高,水土作用面积最大,溃口下切速率最低,峰现时间最晚;而复合槽介于前两者之间。试验成果将为堰塞坝应急抢险和工...     

三峡蓄水后库区洪水波传播规律初步分析

三峡水库蓄水后,原天然河道变成水库回水区,库区内洪水传播特性发生显著变化,且不同库段内洪水传播特性随库水位及上游来水条件而改变。针对三峡蓄水后库区水力条件变化,基于MIKE11模型模拟计算不同库水位及来水条件下洪水波在库区传播时间,以及影响洪水波传播的水流速度,运动波、动力波传播速度等因子,通过对计算结果验证与分析,初步揭示了三峡库区内不同库段在各种来水条件下的洪水波特性以及变化规律。     

无粘性土堤漫顶溃决水流运动试验研究

堤防溃决时溃口附近水流形态及溃决流量变化过程的正确描述是指导溃口堵复及时避险、预测溃堤洪水演进并进一步评估淹没损失的前提条件.通过弯道水槽中的概化模型试验,根据无粘性土堤防漫顶溃决的溃口变化和水流运动特征,将无粘性土堤防溃决过程分为漫流、冲槽、展宽及稳定4个阶段.试验系统研究了堤防溃决后河道以及溃口附近水位的变化过程,研究了河道洪水流量、洪水位和筑堤材料对溃口处水位的影响.基于大量的试验资料,进一步归纳总结出溃决流量与溃口口门宽度及溃口处水头变化之间的关系.