Abstract:

A dynamic simulation of the response of an inflatable dam subjected to a flood was carried out to determine the survivability envelope of the dam where it can operate without rupture, or overflow. A fully nonlinear free-surface flow was applied in two dimensions using a mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian formulation. An ABAQUS finite element model was used to determine the dynamic structural response of the dam. The problem was solved in the time domain which allows the prediction of a number of transient phenomena such as the generation of upstream advancing waves, and dynamic structural collapse. Stresses in the dam material were monitored to determine when rupture occurs. An iterative study was performed to find the service envelope of the dam in terms of the internal pressure and the flood Froude number for two flood depths. It was found that the driving parameter governing failure of the dam was the internal pressure. If this pressure is too low, the dam overflows; if this pressure is too high, the dam ruptures. The fully nonlinear free-surface flow over a semi-circular bottom obstruction was studied numerically in two dimensions using a similar solution formulation as that used in the previous study. A parametric study was performed for a range of values of the depth-based Froude number up to 2.5 and non- dimensional obstacle heights up to 0.9. When wave breaking does not occur, three distinct flow regimes were identified: subcritical, transcritical and supercritical. When breaking occurs it may be of any type: spilling, plunging or surging. In addition, for values of the Froude number close to 1, the upstream solitary waves break. A systematic study was undertaken, to define the boundaries of each type of breaking and non-breaking pattern, and to determine the drag and lift coefficients, free surface profile characteristics and transient behavior.

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