Application of the method of characteristics to the dam break wave problem

In dam break waves, the surge front is a sudden discontinuity characterized by extremely rapid variations of flow depth and velocity. In this study, simple analytical solutions for instantaneous dam break wave are developed using the method of characteristics. The solutions are obtained for initially dry horizontal and sloping channels with turbulent motion, and they are compared with several data sets obtained in large-size facilities.A main feature of the development is its simplicity that is well-suited to students and young professionals.