Dam-breaking and flooding
With HySEA codes we are able to recreate in detail dambreak scenarios and the associated inudated area or flooded areas due to flooding of a river. Here we present four examples, the first one of the Malpasset failure, occurring in the Frech Riviera in 1959; a second example is presented of the Aznalcollar dam failure (Seville, Spain) in 1998, the largest natural disaster in Andalucia. This two real cases are used to test and verify the HySEA model. The third example simulates a potential dam failure at the "El Limonero" (Málaga, Spain) and, finally, the fourth example is aimed at testing and validating the numerical model using laboratory data for a model of the Mero river in Galice (Spain).
Malpasset Dam Failure (France, 1959)
The Malpasset Dam was an arc dam on the Reyran River, north of Fréus on the French Riviera. It collapsed on 2 December 1959, killing 423 people in the resulting flood. The breach was caused by a tectonic fault in the impermeable rock base, which had been inadequately surveyed. Nearby road-building works, using explosives, may also have contributed to the disaster.
The numerical simulation performed by the EDANYA group uses this real event to test the HySEA model for dam-break problems. In particular, there are measured data available for the maximum height and arrival times at several gauges. These are used to compare with the numerical model results.
Comparison of model maximum height and arrival time with measured data can be found here.
Aznalcollar dambreak (1998, Seville, Spain)
On April 25, 1998, a tailings dam failure of the Los Frailes lead-zinc mine at Aznalcóllar near Seville, Spain, released 4-5 million cubic meters of toxic tailings slurries and liquid into nearby Río Agrio, a tributary to Río Guadiamar. The slurry wave covered several thousand hectares of farmland, and it threatens the Doñana National Park, a UN World Heritage Area.
The comparison between the simulated flooded area and the extent of the actual toxic flood can be found here.
Forecasting flooding impact of a dam failure at the El Limonero (Malaga, Spain)
The El Limonero dam and reservoir is located on the outskirts of Málaga city, situated on the Guadalmina river and belongs to the "Cuenca Mediterránea Andaluza". The El Limonero dam was constructed about 2.5 km downstreem of the El Agujero dam and its reservoir flooded partially her body. The main objective of this dam is the lamination of the avenues of the Guadalmina river, but also serves as a supply source for supplying the city of Málaga. A potential dam failure was simulated and the pattern of the inundation resembled quite closely that of the historical event of 1907, when the dam was not yet build.
A higher resolution simulations and the comparison of model flooded area and extent of the 1907 event can be found here.
Flooding caused by the Mero River in Galice (Spain)
Simulation of flooding hazard in the Mero River and comparison with laboratory experiments obtained in CITEEC. This animation shows the result of the numerical simulation performed wit the HySEA code. The comparison between laboratory measured data and model results can be found in the link below.
- Flooding caused by the Mero River. General view
- Comparison of model results with laboratory data for water height
Coupling hidrodynamics and biology
Numerical Simulations
