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Cellular automata model-based numerical analysis for breaching process of embankment dam

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Abstract

It is of great significance to study the process and cause of embankment dam breach in order to ensure the dam safety. In this paper, the overtopping failure mode of embankment dam is selected as the research object, and the cellular automata (CA) method is introduced to explore the development law and influencing factors of the overtopping failure mode. Based on the physical and mechanical characteristics of embankment dam and the energy evolution law of the dam soil failure process, this paper discusses the realization method of CA for simulations of dam body heterogeneity, soil anisotropy, stress environment, etc., and proposes the determination method of cellular failure threshold, energy dissipation rate and energy transfer coefficient. Afterward, the loading mode of the CA model is determined based on the relationship between generalized energy and force deformation of the dam soil. Then, energy criterion for dam erosion failure and mechanical criterion of breach slope failure are put forward. Finally, the CA model is applied to a practical project so as to analyze the development and cause for scour depth and width of the overtopping failure breach, and the influence of overtopping water level and downstream slope ratio on the development of breach.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (SN: 51979093, 51739003, 51579083), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (SN: 2019YFC1510801, 2018YFC0407101, 2016YFC0401601, 2017YFC0804607), the Key R&D Program of Guangxi (SN: AB17195074) and the Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering (SN: 20195025912, 20165042112).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

    Huaizhi Su

  2. College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China

    Huaizhi Su & Lifu Yang

  3. National Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Efficient Utilization and Engineering Safety, Nanjing, China

    Cheng Qian

  4. Department of Computer Engineering, Nanjing Institute of Technology, Nanjing, China

    Zhiping Wen

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  1. Huaizhi Su
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  2. Cheng Qian
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  3. Zhiping Wen
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  4. Lifu Yang
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Correspondence to Huaizhi Su.

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Su, H., Qian, C., Wen, Z. et al. Cellular automata model-based numerical analysis for breaching process of embankment dam. Nat Hazards 103, 251–282 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-03986-x

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