Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) investigation of two-dimensional dam break flows

Abstract

The study of dam break flow (DBF) is essential as it is associated with losses to lives and properties. In this study, 2-D DBF is numerically investigated using a mesh-free Lagrangian approach, i.e., the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) technique by writing a code. The concept of cylindrical columns of water particles and the variable smoothing length technique is adopted to estimate the shock waves in the channel and floodplains. The evolution of the flow field in terms of flow depth and velocity in channel transitions is obtained. The model performance is evaluated by comparing the simulated results with analytical and experimental data in the literature. Several numerical examples considered in the study accurately model the mixed regimes of flow with moving fronts without any special numerical treatment.