Pairing geotechnics and fluvial hydraulics for the prediction of the hazard zones of an exceptional flooding

Abstract

The direct consequences of exceptional floods are usually considered to be limited to the maximum flooding zone created downstream. However, considering the magnitude of the flows, the morphology of the flooded zone could undergo deep changes. To predict the hazard zone on a river undergoing exceptional flooding, numerical simulations are widely used. In this article, the simulation of the evolution of river reaches resulting from such catastrophic events is performed by coupling the hydraulic and sediment transport numerical model GSTARS with a developed slope stability model based on the Bishop’s simplified method. This is a novel methodology for the delimitation of hazard zones along riverbanks by taking into consideration not only the flood risks but also the possible induced landslides. Indeed, each section of the river reach is subject to changes caused by the river hydraulics and the associated erosion or sediment deposition and also undergoes profile changes caused by possible landslides. The initial hydraulic and geotechnical characteristics are first defined and then used to test the stability of several slopes of representative sections of the river reaches before the dam break. Validation tests are performed on specific reaches of the Outaouais River (Quebec) undergoing a dam break flood.