Author(s): Shangfu Kuang; Xiaogang Wang; Jinchi Huang; Yingqi Wei
Linked Author(s): Xiaogang Wang, Shangfu Kuang, Lianxiang Wang, Jinchi Huang
Keywords: Wenchuan earthquake; Quake lake; Dam break risk; Analysis
Abstract: Due to “5.12” Wenchuan earthquake happened in Sichuan Province, China in May, 2008, about 104 quake lakes were formed. The biggest and most dangerous one, Tangjiashang quake lake, was approximately 100m high with a reservoir over300 million m3, and threatening 1.3 million people's life and property downstream. An expert team in the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research was conducting a study on the quake lake's evolution at the first time of detection. This paper presents the results of this investigation. According to the drafted storage-capacity curve and foreseen upstream inflow, the stability of the barrier dam and the risk of dam failure were analyzed. The dam-break flood was calculated. This investigation provides a timely and strong technical support to the decision-makers for taking action of tackling the very emergent event.
Year: 2009