Author(s): G. Petaccia; S. Soares-Frazao
Linked Author(s): Sandra Soares-Frazao
Keywords: Dam-break flow; Shallow-water equations; Urban district; Unstructured grid; Order of accuracy
Abstract: This study describes and analyses the numerical simulation of a dam-break flow through an idealised city. Several models were used to simulate the flow, ranging from detailed twodimensional models on unstructured grids to simplified one-dimensional approaches. The results computed by each type of model are compared to experimental data obtained at the Universite Catholique de Louvain, Belgium. For the two-dimensional models, a first-order finite-volume scheme based on Roe’s solver and a second-order scheme based on Maximum Limiter Gradient (MGL) reconstruction are used and compared. The relevance of using higher-order schemes in such simulations is discussed. The influence of the computational grid (alignment and refinement), as well as the model used to represent the urban district, were also investigated. Finally, results obtained with a simplified one-dimensional model are presented to highlight what can be represented and what is really missed with such a low computational cost approach.
Year: 2007