is dam break possible without inflow?

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I’m trying to model a sunny day dam break to make a flood wave inundation map. This reservoir does not have any inflow feeding it or leaving it, so the only flow in it results from the embankment breach. I set my boundary condition tables to zero flow. Am having trouble getting the model running, so I’d like to know if this scenario is even possible.

thanks,
Lisa

[Anonymous]

If you are modelling the reservoir as a storage area, no inflow is required. Be sure that its minimum elevation is below the minimum elevation of the breach.

If, however you are modelling the reservoir with cross sections and the unsteady flow equations, be sure that there is a finite depth everywhere. The unsteady flow equations work with zero (or negative) flow, but abort with zero depth. So, you will have to stop the simulation before any of the cross sections go dry, or provide a small base flow from upstream.

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