International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research

IJETSR
www.ijetsr.com
ISSN 2394 – 3386
Volume 4, Issue 8
August 2017

Study of Two Dimensional Dam Break Analysis Using HEC-

RAS for Vir Dam

Mrunal M. Joshi
Civil Engineering Department, Rajarshi Shahu College of Engineering, Tathawade, Pune , India
Dr. S. S. Shahapure
Civil Engineering Department, Rajarshi Shahu College of Engineering, Tathawade, Pune, India.

ABSTRACT – Dams are beneficial for society but flood occurs due failure of dam is dangerous for lives, properties and
Environment. Prediction of dam break flows is necessary for forecasting and evaluation of flooding disaster and
preparation of an emergency action plan. In this study dam break flood routing simulation is carried out by using HEC-
RAS two dimensional model for Vir dam to determine Flood Susceptible area at the downstream side of dam. Result will
helpful to Local Authority for appropriate planning and development.
KEYWORDS- Flood, Flood routing, Flood mapping, Dam Break, HEC-RAS 2D model.

I. INTRODUCTION
Dam is barrier constructed across the river to store the water. This stored water is useful for Domestic,
Irrigation, Industrial, hydro electricity generation etc. Floods occur due to dam failure always dangerous for
so it is necessary to analyze flood wave propagation at the downstream side of dam for evaluation of flooding
disaster. Dam Break Analysis is useful to identify the inundation area, flood depth, flood velocity and travel
time of flood waves.
Dam break analysis is carried out for following reasons-
 Preparedness to tackle the disaster
 Preparation of inundation map
 Preparation of evacuation plans
 Evaluation of the risk at downstream of dam failure
 Emergency plans for reinstatement of infrastructure
 Design of protection measures.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

Among all the reported natural disasters worldwide, floods accounted for about forty per cent and caused
about half of all deaths. Asia faced the greatest threat of floods. Annually, more than 400 million people have
been directly exposed to floods worldwide for the past two decades. A review of the data on disasters in India
shows that droughts and floods have been two kinds of disasters that have affected the most number of people
in India.
Dam-break flows can be studied by analytical, numerical and experimental methods. In practice, few raw data
on dam-break flows are available due to the unpredictability of disasters. Dam Break study was started in
1850s in France. From 1850 to1950 there were no computers so the dam break study was focused on finding
theoretical solutions and physical model test. From 1950 to1990 study was focused on study of factors
responsible for dam break and flooding disaster at downstream of dam. From the period of 1990 to till study is
focused on dam safety analysis. [1]
Most widely used tools for Dam break study are the National Weather Service (NWS) Dam-Break Flood
Forecasting Model (DAMBRK); the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center Flood

982 Mrunal M. Joshi , Dr. S. S. Shahapure

 International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research
IJETSR
www.ijetsr.com
ISSN 2394 – 3386
Volume 4, Issue 8
August 2017

Hydrograph Package, HEC-1 (Hydrologic Center, 1981); and the NWS Simplified Dam-Break Flood
Forecasting Model, SMPDBK (Wetmore and Fread, 1983). Of these models, DAMBRK was the most widely
used. The National Weather Service released FLDWAV (Fread, 1993), the successor to DAMBRK. Mike11
and HEC-RAS are also useful tools for this exercise. [2]
Table 1. Details of natural disasters reported in India from 1900-2010
Total
No. of Deaths Affected(million) Damage
Type of disaster Events (000 US$)

Flood
237 60320 799.37 34145188
Storms
(including tropical cyclones) 155 164221 93.29 11051900
Earthquake
26 61788 27.84 4079900
Drought
14 4250320 1061.84 2441122
Tsunami
1 16389 0.65 1022800
Extreme temperature
(Heat wave/cold wave) 48 13881 0.0003 544000
Landslide and Avalanche
43 4807 3.84 54500
Epidemic
68 4543874 0.42 N.A.
Source: Compiled from the EM-DAT, CRED International Database (April 12, 2012)

From literature study, in India dam Break failure was occurred at three places. In 1917 at Gwalior, India Tigra
dam failed due to water infiltrating through foundation. In 1961 at Pune, India Panshet dam was burst due to
pressure of accumulated rain water. In 1979 at Morbi Gujarat, Machchu Dam-2 was failed heavy rain and
flooding beyond Spillway capacity. [3]

III. METHDOLOGY
US Crops Army’s Hydrologic Engineering center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) simulation model is
used for dam break analysis study of Vir dam in Pune district, Maharashtra, India. HEC-RAS two dimensional
model is powerful yet to easy to use software for determining water depth, discharge, inundation area, and
flood wave velocity & water surface profile in two dimensions.
Analyzing of failure of dam is two steps process. 1) Analysis of actual breach of dam. 2) The outflow from
the breached dam to be routed through the downstream valley to determine the resulting flood at population
centers. From literature review we can state that majority cases of earthen Dam failure are due to Overtopping.
3.1 OVERTOPPING FAILURE
In overtopping failure water flows over the crest of dam. Head cut erosion starts from the downstream side of
dam embankment. When cut reaches to upstream of dam mass failure will occur. [4]
3.2. BREACH PARAMETERS
Breach parameters include breach width, breach depth, side sloping angles & breach time. In this study dam
break analysis is carried out for worst condition to determine flooding area at downstream side of dam so

983 Mrunal M. Joshi , Dr. S. S. Shahapure

 International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research
IJETSR
www.ijetsr.com
ISSN 2394 – 3386
Volume 4, Issue 8
August 2017

breach parameters are taken to get maximum breaching of dam and peaked out flow from breached dam is
taken considering full reservoir discharge. [5]
3.3 DATA COLLECTION
Vir dam is constructed across Nira River at Purandar in Pune district.
1) Toposheet from Survey of India Pune
Toposheet Nos. - 47 O/1, 47 O/6, 47N/4
2) Digital Elevated Model (DEM) from Indian Geo-platform of ISRO, Bhuvan (www.nrsc.gov.in) with 30m
resolution and WGS 84 datum and UTM projection.
3) Land use / Land cover classified satellite map of Study area from National Remote Sensing Center
(www.nrsc.gov.in)
4) Discharge data of Vir dam from Irrigation department of Pune.
5) Geometrical data of Nira River –Vir dam from sub-divisional office, Wathar colony Purandar.
Table 2. Dam details
Name of Dam Vir Dam
River Nira
Nearest City Purandar, Pune
Basin Name Krishna
Dam Type Earthen / Gravity
Dam height 35.81m
Top of Dam (RL) 583.51m
Dam length 4008.0m
Top width of Dam 7.70m
No. of Gates 09
Gate type Radial gate
Gate size 12.50x8.23m
Weir Shape Ogee
Spillway Type Concrete
HEC-RAS 5.0.1 (2D) Model is used to create simulation for analyzing flood susceptible area at downstream
side of dam. Two-Dimensional Unsteady flow analysis is carried out for Dam break analysis and to determine
the resulting flood at downstream side of Dam. Unsteady Flow Analysis method used with Implicit Finite
Volume algorithm and Wave Diffusion equations. [6]
3.4 DAM BREAK ANALYSIS FOR VIR DAM
Digital Elevation model (DEM) from Indian Geo-platform of ISRO, Bhuvan (www.nrsc.gov.in) with 30m
resolution and WGS 84 datum and UTM projection is used. Land use / Land cover classified satellite map of
LISS-III sensor, 30 m resolution resource sat II satellite data, from National Remote Sensing Center
(www.nrsc.gov.in) is used.
From DEM Terrain Model was created.

Fig. No.-1. Geometric data of Vir dam

984 Mrunal M. Joshi , Dr. S. S. Shahapure

 International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research
IJETSR
www.ijetsr.com
ISSN 2394 – 3386
Volume 4, Issue 8
August 2017

After creation of Terrain model, 2D flow area boundary and Storage area boundary were marked and then
mesh formation was done.
Boundary conditions - 1) Storage area -2d Flow area connection
2) Exit boundary- Normal Depth
3) Lateral Flow

Fig. No- 2.Elevation Volume curve –Vir dam

Table 3. Storage Capacity of Vir Dam
Volume
Elevation (1000 Elevation Volume Elevation Volume Elevation Volume Elevation Volume
(M) M3) (M) (1000 m3) (M) (1000 m3) (M) (1000 m3) (M) (1000 m3)
571.622 92120.37 572.902 111615.4 573.908 129073.6 575.005 150450.8 576.072 173721
571.774 94287.73 572.933 112116 573.969 130195.5 575.102 152300.8 576.103 174423.3
571.805 94726.08 573.024 113628.4 573.999 130759.3 575.188 154262 576.255 177967.1
571.866 95607.87 573.237 117219 574.03 131325.3 575.371 158146.2 576.35 178000.5
571.988 97390.13 573.268 117738.9 574.213 134760.2 575.401 158800.6 576.407 181563.7
572.018 97840.09 573.298 118260.8 574.64 143044.5 575.615 163439.2 576.499 183747.5
572.171 100113.9 573.329 118784.4 574.67 143650.8 575.645 164110 576.529 184479.7
572.201 100573.8 573.481 121428.6 574.7 144259 575.889 169551.9 576.682 188170.3
572.232 101035.4 573.512 121962.9 574.731 144869.3 575.92 170241.5 576.712 188918.4
572.384 103367.3 573.695 125206.6 574.81 146000.2 576.011 172323 576.834 191921.4
572.414 103838.7 573.725 125753.4 574.883 147950.1 576.03 172400 576.956 194962.6
572.475 104786.8 573.877 128515.4 574.975 149822.7 576.042 173021 576.97 195000.5

Fig. No-3. Vir Dam- Weir & Gates details

985 Mrunal M. Joshi , Dr. S. S. Shahapure

 International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research
IJETSR
www.ijetsr.com
ISSN 2394 – 3386
Volume 4, Issue 8
August 2017

3.6 BREACH PARAMETERS

Breach Width- 800m
Breach bottom Elevation-570m
Left side slope-1:50
Right side slope-1:70
Breach time- 6 minutes.

Fig: 4. Breach details- Vir Dam

IV. RESULT
Unsteady flow simulation is carried out for dam breach study. Hydrograph output interval taken as one hour,
computational interval taken 15 sec. Vir dam failed at lateral flow discharge 7000m3/sec. Following area is
under flooding.

Fig. No- 5 Inundation map

986 Mrunal M. Joshi , Dr. S. S. Shahapure

 International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research
IJETSR
www.ijetsr.com
ISSN 2394 – 3386
Volume 4, Issue 8
August 2017

Fig. No- 6 Inundation map

Ward No. 1, 2, 3, Jubilant Colony, Nira-Andori raod, Nimbut area, Malashi-Nimbut Road, Mirewadi, Hol,
Murum area, Khunte area, Sangavi area are under flooding.

V. CONCLUSION
Traditionally, flood defense planning has focused on safety standards, such as dike design levels or reservoir
volumes required to ensure pre-defined protection levels for the population and the economy. Protection of the
community against floods this approach neglects the amount of valuables protected by a defense system and,
hence, disregards the efficiency of flood protection measures. [7]
Adverse effects of floods can be minimized by proper planning and future development if the occurrence of
floods and magnitude of flood can be predicted and managed systematically. So this study will helpful to local
planning authority for taking appropriate decision.

REFERENCES
[1] Luo You, Chen Li, Xu Min, Tong Xiaolei, 2012 “Review of dam-break research of earth-rock dam combining with
dam safety management” International Conference on Modern Hydraulic Engineering, State Key Lab of Water
Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China,
[2] Fread, D.L., 1988 (revised 1991). “BREACH: An Erosion Model for Earthen Dam Failures”, National Weather
Service, Office of Hydrology, Silver Spring, Maryland.
[3] Abimael Leoul Zewdiea ,December, 2015 “Dam Breach Analysis Using HEC-RAS and HEC-GeoRAS: The Case
of Kesem Kebena Dam”
[4] Brunner. 2014 “Using HEC-RAS for Dam Break Studies”. U.S Army corps of engineers Hydrologic Engineering
Center (CEIWR-HEC) 609 second street, Davis.
[5] Wahl, T. L. 1998 Prediction of Embankment Dam Breach Parameter. U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of
Reclamation.
[6] US crops army’s Hydrological Engineer center HEC-RAS River Analysis System User’s Manual version
5.0 Feb. 2016
[7] Messner, Frank; Meyer, Volker (2005): Flood damage, vulnerability and risk perception - challenges for flood
damage research, UFZ-Diskussionspapiere, No. 13/2005
[8] The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) EM-DAT - the International Disaster Database
(http://www.emdat.be/database).

987 Mrunal M. Joshi , Dr. S. S. Shahapure