3D numerical simulation of cross-levee breaching process due to overtopping flow

Dike failures due to overtopping flows cause severe damages. For risk management, it is of great importance to understand the mechanism of dike failure and predict flows and sediment transport in the breaching process accurately. In this study, numerical simulation of cross-levee breaching process is carried out by using a 3D flow model in porous media and density function methods, and a non-equilibrium sediment transport model. A simplified sediment collapse model is also incorporated in the numerical simulation. The developed model is applied to the levee breach in the small scale hydraulic experiment. Comparing with the previous experimental results, it is shown that the numerical model can reproduce the widening process of dike failure reasonably well.