Abstract:
Dam overtopping is one of the major causes for the failure of earth dams. The objectives of the
present paper are the characterization of the breach evolution and the quantification of the
breach hydrograph caused by dam overtopping. To meet these objectives an embankment dam
laboratory model was led to fail by overtopping under hydraulic and geotechnical controlled
conditions. The data presented concerns the hydrograph, calculated by indirect and direct
methods. The key features of the hydrograph are discussed attending to the observed
evolution of the failure event.
