Experimental Study on Landslide-Generated Waves Overtopping in Reservoirs with Arch Dams

Abstract

The overtopping process, resulting from landslide-induced waves, has the potential to cause significant damage to downstream infrastructures. To minimize the associated losses, it is essential to study the overtopping phenomenon. Limited research has been conducted on physical modeling and volumetric calculation of wave overtopping in reservoirs with arch dams. The study designed a physical model experiment at a geometric scale of 1∶70 to investigate the occurrence of wave overtopping caused by landslides in arch dam reservoir areas at the maximum water depth scenario. Equations developed for straight dams, such as gravity dams, overestimate the volume of overtopping caused by landslides in arch dam reservoirs due to structural dissimilarities. Two volumetric overtopping equations specifically applicable to arch dams were derived through regression analysis. Additionally, the analysis of model experimental data unveiled the distribution pattern of the initial wave amplitude along the dam face, the overtopping duration characteristics, as well as the factors influencing the volume of overtopping. The underlying causes of these phenomena are explained in this paper. This study offers valuable insights into comprehending the intricate process of wave overtopping generated by landslides. These insights encompass the estimation of overtopping volume, as well as the safety assessment of downstream.