Experimental and Numerical Modelling of Dam Spillways

Each dam structure stands specific design according to the topography and climatic conditions of the intended purpose and the region to be constructed. Because of these specifications, each water structure is unique and needs to be projected differently. In the process of designing of hydraulic structures, there are many parameters should be included in order to describe the phenomena so it is not possible to define it exactly mathematically. In this point engineers try to avoid the mistakes and find the most appropriate solutions in these structures, which are very expensive to construct.  The problems that can be seen after the dam structure is constructed and moreover opened to operation can cause the loss of life and property which cannot be compensated. It is not economical either. Physical and numerical model studies may prevent the dam structure from these damages. The experimental tests and mathematical model studies in hydraulic studies are the measures of the accuracy of the study. If there is no time, area and labour limitations experimental studies may be preferable. Otherwise, mathematical model studies, which use high performance computers, may be another choice to test the structure before constructed it. As a result, any modelling within the possibilities before the construction of the hydraulic structures is important in terms of preventing serious damages of life and property losses. In this study, experimental and numerical study of a dam spillway will be presented. Differences and similarities will be shown in hydraulic view.

___

  • Bureau of Reclamation (1977) Design of small dams, U.S. Government, Printing Office, pp: 635-688, Washington, DC, US.
  • Hirt CW, (1992) Volume-fraction techniques: Powerful tools for flow modelling. Flow science report, No. FSI-92-00-02, Flow Science, Inc., Santa Fe, N.M.
  • Hirt CW, Nichols BD, (1981) Volume of fluid (VOF) method for the dynamics of free boundaries. J.Comput. Phys., 39, 201-225.
  • Kumcu SY (2010) Hydraulic model studies of Kavsak Dam and HEPP, DSI Report, HI-1005, DSI-TAKK publications, pp:1-55, Ankara,
  • Kumcu SY, (2008) Hydraulic model studies of Yedigoze Dam and HEPP, DSI Report, HI-995, DSI-TAKK publications, pp:1-72, Ankara,
  • Kumcu SY, (2017) Investigation of flow over spillway modeling and comparison between experimental data and CFD analysis. KSCE J. Civil Engi., 21, 994-1003.
  • Nichols BD, Hirt, CW, (1975) Methods for calculating multidimensional, transient free surface flows past bodies. First Iintern. Conf. on Numerical Ship Hydrodynamics, Gaithersburg, MD. pp:1-27, STI Publication, ABD
  • Şentürk F, (1994) Hydraulics of dams and reservoirs, Water Resources Publication, 786, Colorado, USA.
  • Teklemariam E, Shumilak B, Sydor K, Murray D, Fuchs D, Holder G, (2008) An integral approach using both physical and computational modelling can be beneficial in addressing the full range of hydraulic design issues. CDA Annual Conference, Winnipeg, pp: 1-12, Canada.
  • Versteeg HK, Malalasekera W, (1996) An introduction to computational fluid dynamics, Longman Scientific and Technical, Longman Group Limited, Harlow, England.
  • Willey J, Ewing T, Wark B, Lesleighter E, (2012) Complementary use of physical and numerical modelling techniques in spillway design refinement, Commission Inter. Des. Grands Barrages, pp:55-76, ICOLD Publication, Kyoto.