Author(s): L. Schmocker; W. H. Hager
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Dike breach; Experimental methods; Hydraulic modelling; Measuring systems; Optical recognition
Abstract: Dike breaches due to overtopping have frequently occurred during the past years, as most dikes suffer from lack of maintenance and revision. An accurate prediction of the dike failure process is therefore essential to develop effective emergency action plans or to establish adequate safety measures. Of particular interest is information on the breach profiles during a dike failure to estimate the outflow discharge. Spatial dike breach tests due to overtopping were conducted at a laboratory channel of the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), ETH Zurich. The breach was initiated using a pilot channel located at the channel side wall and developed both vertically and laterally. To record the temporal dike breach profiles, a 3D-videometric recording system was used, developed by AICON 3D Systems Ltd., Germany. This system allows for a continuous, non-intrusive recording of the sediment surface through the water surface during a dike breach process using a rectangular grid projection and a set of four cameras. This system is presented and first results regarding the experimental setup and the general adaptability of the AICON system are discussed. Preliminary tests provide motivating results and a feasible, non-intrusive method seems therefore to be available for determining the sensitive sediment surface topography during a spatial dike breach.
Year: 2011