The Effect of River Channel Characteristics on Landslide-Generated Waves and the Dynamic Water Pressure of the Dam Surface

Abstract

In a reservoir area, impulsive landslide surges induced by slope failure may pose huge damage to the dam and the lives in the shoreline areas, which are greatly affected by river channel characteristics. In this study, water depth, the width of the water surface, and the bending angle of river channel were chosen as the main influencing factors. The numerical method was used to investigate the influence of river channel characteristics on wave propagation and the distribution of dynamic water pressure on the dam surface. The effect mechanism was analyzed, and a prediction model considering river channel characteristics for the propagation wave height was established. Results show that water depth and the bending angle of the river channel play a positive role in the attenuation of the energy carried by landslide surges. The width of the water level mainly influences the propagation of impulse waves in the far-field area. The river channel characteristics affect the value of the dynamic pressure on the dam surface but have a minor effect on dynamic pressure distribution. The distribution of dynamic pressure on the dam is greatly influenced by the distance between the dam site and the place where the landslide occurs.

Keywords

• landslide-generated wave
• river channel characteristics
• wave propagation
• dynamic water pressure
• dam safety
• prediction model