Overtopping breaching of cohesive homogeneous earth dam with different cohesive strength

In consideration of the range of clay content of Chinese earth dams, the world’s highest prototype tests have been made to research on the effects of cohesive strength of filling of cohesive homogeneous earth dam on breach formation. Three breach mechanisms were presented, they were the source-tracing erosion of dam body with the form of “multilevel headcut”, “two-helix flow” erosion of dam crest and collapse of breach sidewalls due to instability. It can be concluded that the cohesive strength of filling of earth dam has great effect on breach formation. When the cohesive strength is bigger, the breach process becomes slower, and the peak outflow and the final width and depth of breach become smaller. The main character of the breach formation is head cutting and dumping collapse. When the cohesive strength is smaller, the breach process becomes faster, and the peak outflow, the final width and depth of breach become bigger. The main character of the breach formation is single level head cutting and shearing collapse.