Numerical Simulation of Flooding in Dam-break Cases

Abstract

Water is a fundamental resource for the development of society, attracting communities since the beginning of civilization. This proximity of civilizations to water resources has demanded strategies for better water management, such as the construction of dams, subjecting ecosystems to more serious problems. In this paper, the shallow water equations are solved numerically by the finite element method and the characteristic‐based split scheme, in space and time, respectively. The model’s used to simulate dam-break cases from literature, in wet bed without obstacles and with solid obstacles. The results obtained are in accordance with the publications, validating the adopted methodology. Finally, the numerical simulations make it possible to know the occurrence of dam-break flow, generating information about the occurrence of this kind of disastrous event.