BREACH

We bought the BREACH-Software this year and I would like to ask you, if there are limitations for the dam material D50 grain size?

We would like to simulate the overtopping of 40 Meter high Dam with D50 = 800 mm. Furthermore the dam has a asphalt concret surface sealing (upstream) and 1:2 upstream slope and 1:1.5 downstream slope.

Can we simulate this Problem with BREACH? Do you have any suggestions for the time of development and the final size of the resulting breach in the case of overtopping?

It would be nice if You could send me a short answer via e-mail.

many thanks
Dipl.-Ing. Carsten Cherubim
TU Dresden, Fak. Bauingenieurwesen
Institut fuer Wasserbau und THM

Wow, 800 mm is nearly a meter. This D50 size is not considered an "earthen" dam in the traditional sense, but really a rock dam. Therefore the equations provided in BREACH are really not applicable. You really need to research this to see an acceptable breach time and size. You might want to consider this somewhere between a concrete gravity and an earthen dam if you cannot find anything written on this.

Sincerely,

Chris E. Maeder
Senior Technical Engineer
chris.maeder@bossintl.com