Asymptotic Solution for Dam Break on Sloping Channel

Abstract

The kinematic‐wave approximation is used to obtain a closed‐form solution for the catastrophic failure of a dam upon a wet, sloping channel. The solution shows that increasing the initial water depth upon the channel increases both the time and distance required for the resulting shock to approach any given depth downstream. It is also shown that the kinematic‐wave solution becomes valid only after the shock travels a certain distance downstream and that increasing the initial water depth upon the channel increases this distance.