Non-homogeneous embankment dams overtopping breach: Experimental study of flow level variations and reservoir sediment movement

The overtopping phenomenon is the most probable reason for embankment dams’ failure. It includes an intricate process; hence its experimental investigation is a remarkable subject. In current research work, two experiments have been conducted at the hydraulics laboratory of the Iranian Energy Ministry Water Research Institute. The changes of reservoir water level, and downstream sedimentary flow level were measured in the first experiment. The first experiment results represented in three stages, i.e., initiation, development, and termination. In case of initiation, the water level rise observed 6% in reservoir. In the development stage, the variation rate of reservoir water level was two times of the termination stage. In the second experiment, the reservoir sediment modeling was performed. When the second experiment finished, about 10% of reservoir sediment was transported downstream. Besides that, the average eroded material thickness was increased, it proved the effect of the reservoir sediment movement. This article comprises calculation of the volume and mass of the eroded material in two practical experiments. The current research helps researchers to achieve the new insight on breach results of embankment dams.