Ancey, Rentschler) An Exact Solution For Ideal Dam-Break Floods On Steep Slopes

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, VOL. ???, XXXX, DOI:10.
1029/,
An Exact Solution for Ideal Dam-Break Floods on

Steep Slopes
C. Ancey, M. Rentschler,
School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole
Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

R.M. Iverson, R.P. Denlinger
U.S. Geological Survey, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver,
Washington, USA
C. Ancey, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole

Polytechnique
Federale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland (christophe.ancey@epfl.ch)
D R A F T
September 26, 2007, 3:54pm
D R A F T
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ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED
Abstract.
The shallow-water equations are used to model the flow re-
sulting from the sudden release of a finite volume of frictionless, incompress-
ible fluid down a uniform slope of arbitrary inclination. The hodograph trans-
10
formation and Riemanns method make it possible to transform the govern-
11
ing equations into a linear system and then deduce an exact analytical so-
12
lution expressed in terms of readily evaluated integrals. Although the solu-
13
tion treats an idealized case never strictly realized in nature, it is uniquely
14
well-suited for testing the robustness and accuracy of numerical models used
15
to model shallow-water flows on steep slopes.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X-3
1. Introduction
16
Dam-break floods on steep slopes occur in diverse settings. They may result from
17
failure of either natural or manmade dams, and they have been responsible for the loss
18
of thousands of lives [Costa, 1988]. Recent disasters resulting from dam-break floods on
19
steep slopes include those at Fonte Santa mines, Portugal, in November 2006 and Taum
20
Sauk, Missouri, USA, in December 2005.
21
Numerical solutions of the shallow-water equations are generally used to predict the
22
behavior of dam-break floods, but exact analytical solutions suitable for testing these
23
numerical solutions have been available only for floods with infinite volumes, horizontal
24
beds, or both [e.g., Zoppou and Roberts, 2003]. Computational models used to simulate
25
dam-break floods commonly produce numerical instabilities and/or significant errors close
26
to the moving front when steep slopes and/or irregular terrain are present in the flood
27
path. In part these problems reflect the complex interaction of phenomena not included
28
in model formulation (e.g., intense sediment transport under time-dependent flow con-
29
ditions), but in part they also reflect shortcomings in the numerical solution algorithms
30
themselves. Therefore, it is important to obtain exact analytical solutions of the shallow-
31
water equations that can be used to test the robustness of numerical models when they
32
are applied to floods of finite volume on steep slopes. This paper presents a new solution
33
for this purpose.
34
For the dam-break problem on a horizontal bed, many exact and approximate analyt-
35
ical solutions already exist. For example, Ritter [1892] addressed the case of an infinite
36
volume of fluid suddenly released on a frictionless plane. An exact solution for a dam-
D R A F T
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37
break flood of finite volume on a frictionless bed was not presented until Hogg [2006]
38
analyzed the finite-volume lock-exchange problem. The more realistic case involving a
39
rough bed (represented by a Chezy-like friction force) has been addressed by a number of
40
authors, including Whitham [1954], Dressler [1952], and Hogg and Pritchard [2004], but
41
only asymptotic solutions have been developed to date. Taking into account a nonuniform
42
velocity distribution in the vertical direction leads to mathematical difficulties, but exact
43
self-similar solutions can still be obtained for floods with variable inflow (i.e., the released
44
volume is a function of time) [Ancey et al., 2006, 2007].
45
For sloping beds, most dam-break solutions developed to date employ approximations
46
of the shallow-water equations, in which inertia or pressure-gradient terms have been
47
neglected. Such assumptions typically lead to a kinematic wave approximation, which en-
48
ables substantial simplification because the mass and momentum balances making up the
49
shallow-water equations are transformed into a single nonlinear diffusion equation [Hunt,
50
1983; Daly and Porporato, 2004a, b; Chanson, 2006]. Exact solutions of the shallow-water
51
equations for steep slopes have been obtained for infinite-volume dam-break floods [Shen
52
and Meyer , 1963; Mangeney et al., 2000; Karelsky et al., 2000; Peregrine and Williams,
53
2001], and the case of a finite-volume flood has been investigated by Dressler [1958] and
54
later by Fernandez-Feria [2006], who provided a partial solution by computing the po-
55
sition and velocity of the surge front and rear.
56
two similarity solutions known as the parabolic cap and M-wave, but these differ from the
57
long-time asymptotic solution of the problem investigated here.
Savage and Hutter [1989] constructed
58
In this paper we present a new analytical solution of the shallow-water equations for a
59
situation in which a finite volume of an ideal (frictionless) fluid is instantaneously released
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60
from behind a dam on a steep slope. Although frictionless flows never occur in real fluids,
61
the frictionless case constitutes an unambiguous end member as well as a clear target case
62
for testing numerical models [Zoppou and Roberts, 2003]. Our solution strategy is mostly
63
identical to that used by Hogg [2006] for the lock-exchange problem, with some additional
64
complications that we shall detail later. We begin our analysis by using the characteristics
65
of the shallow-water equations to infer the positions of the flow front and tail at all
66
times. We then employ the hodograph transformation, which converts the nonlinear
67
shallow-water equations into a linear system by exchanging the roles of the dependent
68
and independent variables. An integral form of the exact solution of the linear equations
69
is then obtained using Riemanns method. This method, seldom used in open-channel
70
hydraulics, is well established in some other fields where hyperbolic equations similar to
71
the shallow-water equations arise. Typical examples include gas dynamics [Courant and
72
Friedrich, 1948], collapse of a granular column [Kerswell , 2005], and tsunami or swash
73
run-up on a shore [Carrier and Greenspan, 1958].
2. Governing equations
2.1. Flow-depth averaged equations
74
The nonlinear, one-dimensional shallow-water (Saint-Venant) equations provide a suit-
75
able approximation for modeling water surges over a wide, uniformly sloping bed inclined
76
at an angle with respect to the horizontal (Figure 1). If the effects of friction are
77
neglected (see Appendix A), these equations may be written as

(h
u) = 0,
h+
x
t

u + u u + g cos h
= g sin ,
x
x
t
D R A F T
(1)
(2)
D R A F T
X-6
78
where x is the downstream coordinate, t is time, g is the magnitude of gravitational
79
x, t) is the flow depth

acceleration, u(
x, t) is the depth-averaged flow velocity, and h(
80
measured perpendicular to the bed. Note that we use the shallow-water equations in a
81
non-conservative form, which is permitted since the solution to the initial-boundary-value
82
problem investigated here is smooth. Originally, the Saint-Venant equations were derived
83
to model flood propagation on shallow slopes and smooth topography [Saint Venant,
84
1871], but modern formulations have demonstrated that the equations can be recast to
85
apply rigorously to steep slopes and irregular topography [Dressler , 1978; Bouchut et al.,
86
2003; Keller , 2003].

Equations (12) can be normalized using the following scaled variables
x
x=
, t=
H0
g cos
h
u
t, h =
, and u =
,
H0
H0
gH0 cos
87
where H0 is the initial fluid depth at the dam wall. Substitution of the scaled variables
88
into (1) and (2) yields the following dimensionless equations

h
h
u
+u
+h
= 0,
t
x
x
u
u h
+u
+
= tan ,
t
x x
89
(3)
(4)
which can be recast in the matrix form
U+A
U = B,
t
x
90
91
92
with
"
h
,A=
u
"
u h
, and B =
1 u
"
0
U=
.
tan
The matrix A has two real eigenvalues given by = u h, indicating that the shallow
water equations are fully hyperbolic and that h can be identified as the dimensionless
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93
wave celerity, c =
94
their characteristics as [Stoker , 1957; Whitham, 1974; Chanson, 2004]
h. The hyperbolic system of equations can be expressed in terms of
d
dx
= tan along the -characteristic curve:
= u + c,
dt
dt
95
(5)
where = u + 2c is the associated Riemann variable; and

d
dx
= tan along the -characteristic curve:
= u c,
dt
dt
96
X-7
(6)
where = u 2c the other Riemann variable.

2.2. Initial and boundary conditions for the dam-break problem
97
We consider a situation in which a dam perpendicular to the slope initially retains a
98
reservoir behind it, as shown in Figure 1. The reservoir geometry is defined in cross
99
section by the triangle OAB, where OA denotes the dam wall. The initial water depth is
100
h = h0 (x) = 1 x/xb , where xb = 1/ tan represents the abscissa of point B in Figure 1.
101
At time t = 0, the dam collapses instantaneously and unleashes a flood of finite volume
102
down the slope. An important difference between our formulation and that of Fernandez-
103
Feria [2006] lies in the initial configuration of the flow, because Fernandez-Feria [2006]
104
investigated the case of a vertical dam. Although a vertical dam is more similar to some
105
real-world scenarios, it leads to significant mathematical difficulties when the method of
106
characteristics is employed owing to singular behavior of the front and rear (both u and
107
h being zero there).
108
Following the dam break, part of the water immediately moves downstream in the form
109
of a forward wave, while a wave propagating upstream separates moving fluid from static
110
fluid upslope. The downstream and upstream waves constitute moving boundaries issuing
111
from the origin point in the x t plane (Figure 2). One boundary corresponds to the flow
D R A F T
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112
front, where h = 0 and u = uf (uf being the front velocity, unknown for the present). The
113
other boundary constitutes the locus of the upstream propagating wave, which travels to
114
point B in Figure 1. Along this wave, we have h = h(t) (which is also unknown at present)
115
and u = 0.
116
Mathematically, the two moving boundaries are described by characteristic curves in
117
the x t plane, which can be computed using (5) or (6), with h = 0 (forward front)
118
and u = 0 (backward wave). For the forward wave, equation (5) reduces to du/dt =
119
tan . The initial condition applicable with this equation is u = 2 at t = 0 because the
120
dam collapse theoretically causes instantaneous acceleration at t = 0 such that the front
121
velocity immediately becomes u = 2, independently of slope. Although this instantaneous
122
acceleration appears unrealistic physically, it is a logical consequence of the shallow-water
123
approximation, and it can be demonstrated mathematically by noting that the initial
124
value of the Riemann variable is 2; at early times after the dam collapse, since the flow-
125
front depth drops to zero, this value implies that u = 2 at the flow front. Use of this value
126
as the initial condition in du/dt = tan yields the front velocity solution u = t tan + 2.
127
Moreover, because u = dx/dt, we deduce that x = 21 t2 tan + 2t is the locus of the front
128
position in the x t plane.
129
To obtain the speed of the wave that propagates upstream from the dam into still water,
130
we infer from (6) that d(2c)/dt = tan along the characteristic curve. Integration of
131
this equation gives c = tan2 t + 1 since at t = 0, we have c = 1. Substitution of this
132
result into the equation defining the characteristic, dx/dt = c yields x =
133
the equation governing propagation of the backward wave in the x t plane. According
D R A F T
tan 2
t
4
t as
D R A F T
X-9
134
to this equation, point B in Figures 1 and 2 is reached by the backward wave at time
135
tb = 2cotan.
136
Once point B is reached, a new wave issues from point B and defines the speed of the
137
moving tail of the volume of fluid as it descends the slope. Propagation of this wave
138
follows the trajectory BC in Figure 2. At the tail margin, the condition h = 0 (c = 0)
139
applies, just as at the front of the forward wave. At point B, the initial conditions for
140
the characteristic equation are x = xb = cotan, t = tb = 2 cotan, h = 0 and u = 0.
141
Substituting c = 0 in (5) and integrating the resulting equation du/dt = tan yields the
142
wave velocity u = tan (t tb ) = t tan 2. Integrating this equation once again yields
143
the equation describing the position of the moving tail in the x t plane:
1 2
t2
x = tan
t ttb + b
2
2
+ xb =
t2
tan 2t + cotan.
2
144
Tables 1 and 2 summarize all the equations defining the boundaries of the moving fluid,
145
and Figure 2 illustrates the position of the boundaries in the x t plane.
146
Some key physical implications of the boundary equations listed in Tables 1 and 2 de-
147
serve special mention. First, once motion of the head and tail begins from their respective
148
initial conditions, each boundary propagates downslope with an acceleration identical to
149
that of a frictionless point mass moving along the slope. This finding implies that the
150
boundary speeds are uninfluenced by the presence of adjacent fluid after motion com-
151
mences. Second, the speed of the advancing flow front always exceeds that of the ad-
152
vancing tail by 4 for t > tb . The difference in speeds is inherited from the difference in
153
initial conditions affecting the head and tail, and it implies that the traveling wave of fluid
154
continuously elongates at a constant rate. This constant elongation would not occur, of
155
course, in a flow with frictional dissipation.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 10
3. Homogenization and hodograph transformation

156
In order to make the governing equations homogeneous and simplify calculations, we
157
use a change in variables so that the effects of gravitational acceleration do not appear
158
explicitly:
tan 2
= h,
= x
t , t = t, v = u t tan , and h
2
159
(7)
Use of these substitutions in (3) and (4) yields

h
h
v
+v
+h
= 0,
t
v
v h
+v
+
= 0,
t
(8)
(9)
160
where the tilde has been removed to simplify notation. The characteristic form of these
161
equations is now
dr
d
= 0 along the r-characteristic curve:
= v + c,
dt
dt
162
where r = v + 2c is a Riemann invariant, and

ds
d
= 0 along the s-characteristic curve:
= v c,
dt
dt
163
(10)
(11)
where s = u 2c is the other Riemann invariant.
164
The next step is linearization in order to use analytical methods available for linear
165
partial differential equations [Garabedian, 1964]. Transformation of the governing equa-
166
tions into quasi-linear equations is made possible by using hodograph variables. That is,
167
instead of seeking solutions in the form h(, t) and v(, t), we switch the dependent and
168
independent variables and seek solutions in the form (v, h) and t(v, h) or, more precisely,
169
(r, s) and t(r, s) since we have
1
1
v = (r + s) and h = (r s).
2
4
D R A F T
(12)
D R A F T
X - 11

170
Denoting the Jacobian of the transformation by J = h tv v th , we obtain

h =
tv
th
v
h
, v = ht = , and vt = .
J
J
J
J
171
The transformation is reversible provided J 6= 0 and 1/J 6= 0. This condition is satisfied
172
here except at the flow boundaries, but since the solution is known there (as summarized in
173
Table 2), this restriction presents no difficulty. With the new variables, the homogeneous
174
governing equations (8) and (9) reduce to
175
176
t
t
+v
h
= 0,
v
v
h
t
t
+
v
= 0.
h v
h
(13)
(14)
Equations (13) and (14) can be solved using the method of characteristics. The equation
of an r-characteristic in the plane r s is given by
3r + s t
=
,
s
4 s
(15)
177
which was deduced from Eq. (10) using d = s ds and dt = ts ds since r is constant.
178
Similarly, we obtain for the s-characteristic equation
3s + r t
=
.
r
4 r
(16)
179
We next derive a single equation governing t. Differentiating Eq. (15) with respect to r
180
and Eq. (16) with respect to s, then finding the difference of the two resulting equations,
181
we obtain the equation for t:

3
2t
L[t] = 0 where L[t] =

rs 2(r s)
t
t
.
r s
(17)
182
A similar equation can be obtained for , but its form is more complicated and it is more
183
fruitful to compute t by solving Eq. (17) and then using one of the characteristic equations
D R A F T
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184
(15) or (16) to find . Equation (17) is a linear hyperbolic partial differential equation of
185
second order, which arises in a number of contexts in gas dynamics and hydrodynamics
186
and for which solutions are known in terms of Riemann functions [Courant and Friedrich,
187
1948; Garabedian, 1964; Kevorkian, 2000]. The boundary conditions for Eq. (17) are
188
specified along curves OA, OB, and BC (see Table 1).
4. Riemann formulation
189
Next we exploit the linearity of Eq. (17) and use an integral representation to relate t
190
to its auxiliary conditions. If we integrate Eq. (17) over a finite domain D whose oriented
191
contour is denoted by , we obtain area integrals that by themselves yield little insight.
192
However, if we transform these area integrals into boundary integrals using Greens theo-
193
rem, then part of the problem is solved. In this context, Riemanns formulation involves
194
introducing an adjoint differential operator N ( ), which enables us to write [Garabedian,
195
1964; Zauderer , 1983]

L[t] tN [ ] = U =
196
U
V
+
,
r
s
where U = (U, V ) is a vector field. In this way, we obtain

Z
( L[t] tN [ ])drds =
U nd,
(18)
197
where n is an outward normal vector along and d is a curvilinear abscissa such that
198
nd = (ds, dr). For this decomposition to hold, we must define N , U , and V as follows
N [ ] =
rs 2(r s) r
s
t
t
3 1
t +
,
U =
2rs
2 s 2 s
3 1
t
t
V =
t +
.
2rs
2 r 2 r
D R A F T
3
.
(r s)2
(19)
(20)
(21)
D R A F T
X - 13

199
We now consider a geometric domain D in the form a quadrilateral MPOQ, as depicted
200
in Fig. 3. The value of t is known along PO (point O corresponds to point O in the x t
201
plane) and OQ (see Table 1). Since we are free to choose the function , we pose
N [ ] = 0,
202
(22)
with the boundary conditions

(a, b) = 1,
3
=
on r = a, and
=
on s = b,
s
2(r s)
r
2(r s)
(23)
203
These equations remove the dependency on v in the boundary integrals along PM and
204
QM. The solution of (22) satisfying these boundary conditions may be written as the
205
Riemann function R(r, s ; a, b):

"
3 3
(r s)3
(r a)(s b)
.
(r, s) = R(r, s ; a, b) =
F , , 1,
3/2
3/2
(r b) (s a)
2 2
(r b)(s b)
(24)
206
where F is the hypergeometric function [Abramowitz and Stegun, 1964, p. 556]. A deriva-
207
tion of (24) is provided in Appendix B.
208
Identifying the function as in (24) and making use of (22), (18) becomes
Und = 0.
209
The oriented contour line can be broken down into segments QM and MP, where the
210
boundary conditions (23) hold, and the segments PO and OQ (Figure 3), leading to
Z
U nd =
Z M
Q
V dr +
Z P
M
U ds
Z O
P
V dr +
Z Q
O
U ds = 0.
(25)
211
After integrating the boundary integrals in (25) by parts and making use of (23), we
212
rearrange the contribution along each segment of as follows
Z M
1
1
1
3
+
t
dr = t(Q) (Q) + t(a, b),

V dr = [t ]M
Q
2
2 r b r
2
2
Q
Q
!
Z P
Z P
1
3
1
1
U ds = [t ]PM +
t
ds = t(P ) (P ) t(a, b),

2
2 a s s
2
2
M
M
Z M
D R A F T
(26)
(27)
D R A F T
X - 14
Z O
Z O
1
3 t
t
V dr = [tR]O
+
R(r, s ; a, b)
+
dr,
P
2
2 r + 2 r
P
P
!
Z Q
Z Q
1
3 t
t
Q
U ds = [tR]O +
R(r, s ; a, b)
+
ds.
2
2 2 s s
O
O
(28)
(29)
213
In so doing, we obtain from the right-hand sides of (26)(29) an integral representation
214
of t that holds for any point M (a, b) inside the triangle OFB in the r s plane
Z Q
1
1
(U ds V dr).
t(a, b) = t(P )R(P ; M ) + t(Q)R(Q ; M ) +
2
2
P
215
216
Since on the boundaries PO and OQ we have tr = cotan/2 and ts = 0, respectively,

we can reduce the equation for t to
t(a, b) = cotan
217
Z a
2
R(r, 2 ; a, b)
2 5r
dr.
4(r + 2)
The variable is then computed by integrating an s-characteristic, i.e., Eq. (16)

1
1Z 2 0
(r|s = cst) = (3s + r)t(r, s) +
t(r , s)dr0 ,
4
4 r
218
(30)
(31)
where we have taken into account the boundary condition = 0 at t = 0.
219
Although equations (30) and (31) are not fully explicit expressions, these exact integral
220
solutions can be evaluated numerically without any difficulty by using computing software
221
such as Mathematica. The Mathematica notebook used to plot the figures in this paper is
222
available online from our website (http://lhe.epfl.ch). The solutions can also be expressed
223
in terms of Legendre functions and computed using tabulated values. Note that when
224
0, time t tends toward infinity, which means that with this solution, we cannot recover
225
the solution calculated by Hogg [2006] for a horizontal plane. This restriction results from
226
the differing upstream boundary condition in the two problems. For a horizontal bottom,
227
part of the fluid remains in the reservoir and the velocity at point B is zero, whereas for a
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 15
228
sloping bed, once the backward wave has reached the upstream end of the reservoir, the
229
tail of the flood wave starts moving and its velocity is nonzero (see Table 1).
230
Equations (30) and (31) form an implicit solution to Eqs. (89) that can be quite easily
231
inverted to provide h(, t) and v(, t). Figure 4 shows the s- and r-characteristics obtained
232
when the bed slopes at the angle = /4. Figure 5 shows the flow-depth and velocity
233
profiles at different times after the dam collapse for = /4. The graphs of Figure 5
234
depict the flow depth and velocity profiles in a frame moving at velocity t tan . Note
235
that the velocity variations are nearly linear and the flow depth profile is increasingly
236
symmetric as elapsed time increases. These features are reminiscent of the parabolic-cap
237
similarity solution of Savage and Hutter [1989]. A shown in Appendix C, however, the
238
parabolic cap solution differs from the long-time asymptotic solution of the shallow-water
239
equations we present here.
240
Expressing our solution in terms of the original dimensionless variables x and t is
241
straightforward. The value of x is given by x = + 12 tan t2 , while t remains unchanged.
242
Figure 6 uses these variables to depict the flow-depth and velocity profiles at different
243
times after the dam collapse, and figure 7 shows details of the evolution of flow depth
244
at early times. Combining the velocity and flow depth profiles at early times makes it
245
possible to evaluate the discharge at the dam site and thereby to obtain a hydrograph
246
that can be used to provide initial conditions in numerical models that route floods using
247
the shallow-water equations. Finally, note that the shape of the characteristic curves in
248
the x t plane is significantly altered due to fluid acceleration. Figure 8 shows the - and
249
-characteristics in the x t plane for = /4.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 16
251
can be represented parametrically by using the

The physical variables x, t, u, and h
dimensionless auxiliary variables r = v + 2 h and s = v 2 h (i.e., the Riemann
252
invariants)
250
Z r
H0
H0
2 5
R(, 2 ; r, s)
t(r, s) =
t=
cotan
d,
g cos
g cos
4( + 2)
2
Z 2
q
q
1
2
x(r, s) = H0 x =
(3s + r) gH0 cos t + gH0 cos
t(, s)d + 2 sin g t ,
4
r
q
u(r, s) =
(32)
(33)
gH0 cos u = v gH0 cos + g tsin ,
(34)
s) = H0 h,
h(r,
(35)
253
for r > s > 2 and 2 < r < 2 and where R is the Riemann function given by Eq. (24).
254
For s = 2 and 2 < r < 2, which apply to the backward wave for 0 < t < tb , we have
s
t(r, 2) =
H0
r
1
cotan,
g cos
2
(36)
2) = H0 1 t g cos tan .
h(r,
H0
(37)
255
The case r = s (with s > 2) corresponds to t , while r = 2 (with s > 2)
256
corresponds to the initial condition before the dam breaks. The particular value r = s = 2
257
gives the position and velocity of the flow front, while r = s = 2 gives the position and
258
velocity of the flow tail after the fluid has detached from point B (i.e., for t > tb ):
q
2) = 0 and u(2, 2) = g tsin + 2 gH0 cos ,

h(2,
(38)
h(2,
2) = 0 and u(2, 2) = g tsin 2 gH0 cos .
(39)
5. Conclusion
259
By employing the one-dimensional shallow-water equations, an accelerated reference
260
frame, hodograph transformation, and Riemanns method, we have derived a new exact
261
solution describing the behavior of a dam-break flood of finite volume traveling down
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 17
262
a steep, planar slope. Although the solution assumes that the fluid is frictionless, it
263
nonetheless provides an end-member test case suitable for assessing the accuracy and
264
robustness of numerical methods used to simulate real floods. The solution employs an
265
initial condition in which a triangular prism of static fluid is impounded by a dam face
266
normal to the slope, and the flood is triggered when the dam instantaneously vanishes.
267
Key aspects of the motion of the flood head and tail are illustrated by some elementary
268
features of our solution obtained directly from the untransformed shallow-water equations.
269
For example, the solution shows that the evolving speed of the flow front is the same as
270
that of a frictionless point mass with an initial velocity u

= 2 gH0 cos , where g is
271
the magnitude of gravitational acceleration, H0 is the initial height of water behind the
272
dam, and is the slope angle. Relative to motion of the flow front, motion of the tail is
273
delayed by a time proportional to cotan, because motion of the tail does begin until a
274
wave propagates upstream from the broken dam. This delay causes the downslope speed
275
of the tail to persistently lag behind that of the front, and as a consequence of this delay
276
and the fact that the tail subsequently accelerates like a frictionless point mass, the flood
277
wave elongates at a constant rate. Our solution describes evolution of the elongating
278
flood wave in terms of definite integrals that are readily evaluated using software such as
279
Mathematica. This evaluation shows that the flood wave is initially quite asymmetric but
280
becomes increasingly symmetric as time proceeds.
281
Finally, we note that extension of our solution to more complex dam-break flows involv-
282
ing materials other than ideal fluids may be possible. Motion of rock avalanches, snow
283
avalanches, and debris flows, for example, obeys equations that are mathematically simi-
284
lar to the shallow-water equations [Savage and Hutter , 1989; Pudasaini and Hutter , 2006;
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 18
285
Iverson and Denlinger , 2001; Mangeney-Castelnau et al., 2005; Balmforth and Kerswell ,
286
2005], and these phenomena are good candidates for further analytical study. In partic-
287
ular, the experimental and numerical results obtained by Greve et al. [1994] and Koch
288
et al. [1994] for dam-break avalanches of granular materials down steep chutes appear
289
very similar to results described in this paper.
290
Acknowledgments. We thank Professors J.M.N.T. Gray (University of Manchester)
291
and Randall LeVeque (University of Washington) for their helpful reviews of our work.
292
In particular, Professor LeVeque ran his shock-capturing numerical code Tsunamiclaw
293
(freely downloadable from http://www.amath.washington.edu/claw/) and found excel-
294
lent agreement with our solution. The work presented here was supported by the Swiss
295
National Science Foundation under grant number 200021-105193, the competence center
296
in Mobile Information and Communication Systems (a center supported by the Swiss Na-
297
tional Science Foundation under grant number 5005-67322), the Competence Center in
298
Environmental Sciences (TRAMM and APUNCH projects), and specific funds provided
299
by EPFL (vice-presidence à la recherche). Use of trade names in this publication is for
300
information purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological
301
Survey.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 19
Appendix A
302
In this paper, basal friction has been neglected. This assumption is likely to be valid
303
in the bulk of the flow since the bottom friction contribution is usually of low magnitude
304
compared to the inertia and pressure gradient terms in the momentum balance equation.
305
Close to the front, this assumption no longer holds because the flow depth drops to zero.
306
To estimate the typical extent of the friction-affected region, the usual approach is
307
to use a balance between friction and pressure gradient, i.e., if we use a Chezy law for
308
cos h/
x Cd
representing the bottom drag, we have g h
u2 , where Cd denotes a
309
Chezy-like coefficient, in the drag-affected region [Whitham, 1954; Hogg and Pritchard ,
310
and u are not explicitly known.

2004]. A difficulty arises here since h
311
and u for the head.

To proceed further in this analysis, we first need to approximate h
312
This can be readily done by making a first-order approximation of the integral represen-
313
tations (30) and (31) of t(r, s) and (r, s) for the head. Then solving the resulting linear
314
system to find r and s, we find

2 4
s= +
,
3 3t
(A1)
r = 2.
(A2)
315
Making use of Eq. (12) to find h and u and returning to dimensional variables, we finally
316
obtain
!2
1
xf x
=
h
,
9g cos
t
!
x
1
2 + uf ,
u =
3
t
317
318
(A3)
(A4)
where xf = 2 gH0 cos t + 21 gt2 sin denotes the front position and uf = 2 gH0 cos +
gt sin its velocity. A remarkable feature is that the flow-depth and velocity profiles in
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 20
319
the close vicinity of the front have exactly the same shape as those found for the Ritter
320
[1892] solution. Denoting = xf x, we find that within the tip region ( 0), the
321
dominant balance is
g cos
322
2 1
h
Cd u2f ,
t2
(A5)
which yields
3g
2
h
81Cd g cos2
u2f t3 .
t2
(A6)
323
At short times, uf 2 gH0 cos and therefore the extent of the drag-affected region
324
scales as t4/3
1/3
1/3
4Cd g 2/3 cos H0 t4/3 ,
(A7)
325
which is consistent with the scaling found for dam-break waves on horizontal planes
326
[Whitham, 1954; Hogg and Pritchard , 2004]. At long times, uf gt sin , which results
327
in a more pronounced dependence of on t

4Cd gt2 cos2/3 2.
(A8)
Appendix B
328
329
The Riemann function R can be computed as follows [Garabedian, 1964, see problem
9, 5.1, p. 150]. Let us consider a partial differential equation of the form
vxy +
330
1
(vx + vy ) = 0,
2x+y
(B1)
whose adjoint operator is

N [v] = 0, with N [v] = vxy (av)x (bv)y + cv, and a = b =
D R A F T
1
,
2x+y
D R A F T

331
and where c = 0. Following Garabedian [1964], we pose

v=
332
X - 21
(x + y)
(x )(y )
W (), with =
.
/2
/2
(x + ) (x + )
(x + )(y + )
We find that W satisfies the equation

2 W () + 4(1 ( + 1))W 0 () + (1 )W 00 () = 0,
333
whose solution is
"

W () = F
, , 1, ,
2 2
334
where F is the hypergeometric function. With = 3, x = r and y = s, we find the
335
solution to the adjoint problem (22) with N given by Eq. (19). Alternative representa-
336
tions (in particular, in terms of Legendre functions) can be obtained using properties of
337
F [Abramowitz and Stegun, 1964, see pp. 559562].
Appendix C
338
In this appendix we relate our results to those of Savage and Savage and Hutter [1989],
339
who obtained similarity solutions to the shallow-flow equations for motion of finite volumes
340
of frictional material down a uniform slope. Of particular relevance here is their parabolic
341
cap solution, which can be obtained by seeking symmetric flow-depth and velocity profiles
342
for the governing equations (8) and (9). In Fig. 5, we note that at sufficiently late times,
343
the flow-depth profile is bell-shaped, while the velocity profile is nearly linear with . This
344
prompts us to seek a solution, where the velocity profile is perfectly linear and takes the
345
value v = f at the front ( = f ), i.e.,

v(, t) =
D R A F T

f ,
f
(C1)
D R A F T
X - 22
346
where f denotes the front position and f its velocity in the t plane. For the mo-
347
ment, f (t) is unknown; we expect that the similarity solution is the long-time asymptotic
348
solution of the boundary initial value problem solved above and therefore assume that
349
f 2t. Substituting v into the momentum balance equation (9), we derive an equation
350
for h
h
f
= ,
351
(C2)
whose integration provides

h(, t) =
1 f 2
( 2 ).
2 f f
(C3)
352
The flow-depth profile is parabolic and symmetric around = 0. Substituting the v and
353
h relations into the mass equation (8), we derive an equation for the front position f
d
(f f ) + f f = 0.
dt
354
Integrating this equation leads to the second-order differential equation

f2 f = c1 ,
355
(C4)
(C5)
with c1 a constant of integration, which can be determined using volume conservation

V=
Z f
f
2
2
h(, t)d = f2 f = c1 ,
3
3
(C6)
356
where V = 12 |xb | = 12 cotan is the initial volume of material. We can now find f from
357
(C5) using the boundary conditions

lim f = 2t and f (0) = 0.
(C7)
358
The former boundary condition enforces behavior similarity between this solution and the
359
one found above using the method of characteristics. The latter condition is somewhat
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 23
360
formal, but is consistent with our objective of finding the long-time asymptotic solution.
361
Integrating (C5) twice and using the boundary conditions (C7), we find an implicit relation
362
relating f to t
q
8 3V + 4 4 2 3 V
f
f
f
= 16t,
4 4f2 3f V + 3V ln
3V
(C8)
363
which is valid for > 3V/4. Differentiating this equation with respect to t, we find that
364
the front velocity is given by

q
f =
365
(C9)
We check that f 2 when f . The parabolic cap solution is given by

v(, t) =
h(, t) =
366
f (4f 3V)

f ,
f
(C10)
3V 2
2
,
f
4 f3
(C11)
with f given by (C8) and f given by (C9).
367
In Fig. 9, we have plotted the parabolic cap solution for t = 100. We also have also
368
shown the exact solution to the shallow-water equations. A key point is that although
369
both velocity profiles superimpose remarkably, there is a substantial difference in the
370
shape of the surge. For the exact solution, the flow-depth profile is always acute close to
371
the fronts since the flow-depth gradient drops to zero (see Appendix A), whereas for the
372
similarity solution, the height gradient at the front is nonzero (h/ = 3V/(2f )), which
373
results in a finite front angle that the remaining flow must accommodate.
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D R A F T
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Greve, R., T. Koch, and K. Hutter (1994), Unconfined flow of granular avalanches along
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D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 28
H0
Figure 1.
The initial configuration of the reservoir before the dam collapse.
5
C
4
3
F
2
1
0
0
10
x
Figure 2. Characteristics corresponding to the boundaries of the moving fluid volume.
Computation is for slope angle = /4.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 29
Table 1.
OF
Features of the boundaries delimiting the fluid domain.

c
t tan + 2
2t
OB 1 t tan /2
BC
Table 2.
t tan t2 tan /4 t 2(1 t tan ) 2
0
t tan 2
2t + cotan
Equations of the boundaries delimiting the fluid domain.

x
D R A F T
t range
OF
t2
2
tan + 2t
t0
OB
t2
4
tan t
0 t 2cotan
BC
t2
2
tan 2t + cotan
t 2cotan
D R A F T
X - 30
+2
2
r
M(a, b)
b
B, C
Figure 3.
D R A F T
t=0
b
O
P
t = 1 r/2
Computation domain in the r s plane.
D R A F T
X - 31
5
4
3
2
1
-2
x
Figure 4. Characteristics in the t plane for slope angle = /4. The r-characteristics
are shown as solid lines for r values ranging from 2 to 2, with an increment of 0.5. The
s-characteristics are shown as dashed lines for s values ranging from 2 to 2, with an
increment of 0.5.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 32
0.30
hH x,tL
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
-15
-10
-5
10
15
vH x,tL
1
0
-1
-2
-15
-10
-5
10
15
Figure 5.
Flow depth and velocity profiles in the t plane for slope angle = /4.
Profiles are shown for times t = 1, 2, 4, 8.
The dashed line represents the initial flow
depth (still water).
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 33
0.25
t=1
h( x,t )
0.2
0.15
t=2
0.1
t=4
0.05
t=8
0
10
20
30
40
x
10
t=8
u( x,t )
8
6
t=4
4
t=2
t=1
2
0
0
10
20
30
40
x
Figure 6.
Flow depth and velocity profiles in the x t plane for slope angle = /4.
Profiles are shown for times t = 1, 2, 4, 8. The dashed line represents the initial flow
depth.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 34
h( x,t )
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
-1 -0.5
0.5
1.5
2.5
x
Figure 7.
Flow depth profiles in the x t plane for slope angle = /4. Profiles are
shown for times t = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75,1. The dashed line represents the initial flow depth.
5
4
3
2
1
-2
x
Figure 8.
Characteristics in the x t plane for slope angle = /4.
The -
characteristics are shown as solid lines for values ranging from 2 to 2, with an increment
of 0.5. The -characteristics are shown as dashed lines for values ranging from 2 to 2,
with an increment of 0.5.
D R A F T
D R A F T
X - 35
2
0.0020
vH x,tL
hH x,tL
1
0.0015
0.0010
-1
0.0005
0.0000
-200
-100
100
200
-2
-200
-100
100
200
Figure 9. comparison between the exact solution to the shallow-water equations (solid
line) given implicitly by equations (30) and (31) and the parabolic cap solution (dashed
curve) given by equations (C10) and (C11) at t = 100. On the left: flow-depth profile; on
the right: flow-depth averaged velocity.
D R A F T
D R A F T

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WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, VOL. ???, XXXX, DOI:10.

An Exact Solution for Ideal Dam-Break Floods on

School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole

Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

U.S. Geological Survey, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver,

C. Ancey, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

The shallow-water equations are used to model the flow re-

sulting from the sudden release of a finite volume of frictionless, incompress-

formation and Riemanns method make it possible to transform the govern-

lution expressed in terms of readily evaluated integrals. Although the solu-

tion treats an idealized case never strictly realized in nature, it is uniquely

to model shallow-water flows on steep slopes.

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

Sauk, Missouri, USA, in December 2005.

themselves. Therefore, it is important to obtain exact analytical solutions of the shallow-

for this purpose.

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

volume is a function of time) [Ancey et al., 2006, 2007].

of the shallow-water equations, in which inertia or pressure-gradient terms have been

sition and velocity of the surge front and rear.

long-time asymptotic solution of the problem investigated here.

Savage and Hutter [1989] constructed

situation in which a finite volume of an ideal (frictionless) fluid is instantaneously released

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

run-up on a shore [Carrier and Greenspan, 1958].

The nonlinear, one-dimensional shallow-water (Saint-Venant) equations provide a suit-

neglected (see Appendix A), these equations may be written as

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

where x is the downstream coordinate, t is time, g is the magnitude of gravitational

x, t) is the flow depth

non-conservative form, which is permitted since the solution to the initial-boundary-value

2003; Keller , 2003].

into (1) and (2) yields the following dimensionless equations

which can be recast in the matrix form

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

their characteristics as [Stoker , 1957; Whitham, 1974; Chanson, 2004]

h. The hyperbolic system of equations can be expressed in terms of

where = u + 2c is the associated Riemann variable; and

where = u 2c the other Riemann variable.

We consider a situation in which a dam perpendicular to the slope initially retains a

h = h0 (x) = 1 x/xb , where xb = 1/ tan represents the abscissa of point B in Figure 1.

real-world scenarios, it leads to significant mathematical difficulties when the method of

h being zero there).

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

Mathematically, the two moving boundaries are described by characteristic curves in

velocity immediately becomes u = 2, independently of slope. Although this instantaneous

acceleration appears unrealistic physically, it is a logical consequence of the shallow-water

approximation, and it can be demonstrated mathematically by noting that the initial

position in the x t plane.

this equation gives c = tan2 t + 1 since at t = 0, we have c = 1. Substitution of this

result into the equation defining the characteristic, dx/dt = c yields x =

September 26, 2007, 3:54pm

ANCEY ET AL.: DAM-BREAK PROBLEM ON SLOPING BED

follows the trajectory BC in Figure 2. At the tail margin, the condition h = 0 (c = 0)

the characteristic equation are x = xb = cotan, t = tb = 2 cotan, h = 0 and u = 0.