skip to main content
Language:
Search Limited to: Search Limited to: Resource type Show Results with: Show Results with: Search type Index

Effect of Upstream Dam Geometry on Peak Discharge During Overtopping Breach in Noncohesive Homogeneous Embankment Dams; Implications for Tailings Dams

Water resources research, 2021-12, Vol.57 (12), p.n/a [Peer Reviewed Journal]

2021 The Authors. ;2021. This article is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License. ;ISSN: 0043-1397 ;EISSN: 1944-7973 ;DOI: 10.1029/2020WR029358

Full text available

Citations Cited by
  • Title:
    Effect of Upstream Dam Geometry on Peak Discharge During Overtopping Breach in Noncohesive Homogeneous Embankment Dams; Implications for Tailings Dams
  • Author: Walsh, A. ; McDougall, S. ; Evans, S. G. ; Take, W. A.
  • Subjects: Angles (geometry) ; Approximation ; Catastrophic failure analysis ; Computer models ; Construction ; dam breach ; Dam breaching ; Dam construction ; Dam design ; Dam engineering ; Dam failure ; Dams ; Design ; Embankment dams ; Embankments ; Flood peak ; Geometry ; Hazard assessment ; Height ; Hydraulic control ; Hydrographs ; Inclination ; Mathematical analysis ; Mathematical models ; Mine tailings ; Minerals ; Mining industry ; Outflow ; Overtopping ; Sand ; Slopes ; Tailings ; tailings dam ; Upstream ; Weirs ; Width
  • Is Part Of: Water resources research, 2021-12, Vol.57 (12), p.n/a
  • Description: Tailings dams differ from conventional water‐retaining dams in design, materials retained behind the dam and used in construction of the dam, and the inclination of the upstream face of the dam. In this paper, we isolate the effect of upstream slope angle on behavior during overtopping breach. Six 1 m high homogeneous fine sand dams were constructed with upstream slope angles varying between 10.0° and 30.0° and brought to failure by V notch overtopping. Slope angle was observed to define the height of flow over the erosional breach crest hydraulic control structure that forms in the upstream face of the dam, with higher peak outflow corresponding to steeper upstream slope angles. A semiellipse was observed to be an excellent approximation of the geometry of the breach throughout the rising limb of the hydrograph to peak outflow. This observation permitted the use of the Ramanujan approximation for perimeter of an ellipse to define a mathematical relationship between breach width and arc length. A simplified method to predict the rising limb of the outflow hydrograph was then proposed based on the assumption of linear growth of breach width coupled with a semielliptical breach geometry. These findings show that hazard analysis for overtopping failure should consider the effect of upstream slope angle on peak outflow. Plain Language Summary Dam breach is the failure of a dam structure resulting in the uncontrolled release of the material retained behind the dam in a sudden or catastrophic manner. The outflow hydrograph, defined as the time rate of material released from the dam, is used in computer models to predict of how far, how fast, and how deep inundation will occur. Tailings are waste products of the mining industry generally produced by crushing and grinding rock to extract valuable minerals. Tailings dams differ from water‐retaining dams in design, materials retained and used in construction of the dam, and the inclination of the upstream face of the dam. In this paper, we isolate the effect of upstream slope angle on behavior during overtopping breach. Six 1 m high homogeneous fine sand dams with upstream slope angles varying between 10.0° and 30.0° were breached by water overtopping. The upstream slope angle was observed to define the height of flow over the erosional weir that forms in the upstream face of the dam, with higher peak outflow corresponding to steeper upstream slope angles. These findings show that hazard analysis for overtopping failure should consider the effect of upstream slope angle on peak outflow. Key Points Dam breach hydrographs are strongly influenced by upstream slope geometry with peak outflow increasing with upstream slope angle Peak outflow can be estimated considering a linear increase in breach width and flow over an elliptically shaped weir Upstream slope angle should be considered when predicting peak outflow during breach of tailings dams
  • Publisher: Washington: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
  • Language: English
  • Identifier: ISSN: 0043-1397
    EISSN: 1944-7973
    DOI: 10.1029/2020WR029358
  • Source: Wiley Blackwell AGU Digital Archive
Back to results list
INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY (84-028) 37 755 057 Feedback
19 Nguyen Huu Tho St. Dist.7, HCM thuvien@tdtu.edu.vn

Copyright © 2017 INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY

Searching Remote Databases, Please Wait