The investigation of dam-break flow using with experimental and smoothing particle hydrodynamics (SPH) methods

In this study, dam-break flow problem was investigated with experimental and numerical methods in order to observe behaviors of different density fluids. The effects of shock waves which were generated by abrupt lifting of a vertical gate mechanicsm in a horizontal and rectangular tank have been researched. This mechanism separates two different stagnant fluids or sections (for dry downstream), so dam-break flow conditions emerge. The images obtained from experimental were digitized using image processing techniques. Water, oil and salty water were preferred as different density fluids. Flow-3D based on mesh blocks and particle-based Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method were applied for numerical methods. The snapshots at certain moments during propagation and free-surface point level changes of fluids along the channel were examined as the physical properties. In addition, the results of experiments and numerical models obtained by Kocaman (2007) were tried to be examined in SPH method to test the sensitivity of this method in solving fluid behaviors. As a result of this study, it has been observed that the results obtained for all the methods are very compatible with each other. Especially, it is predicted that SPH method could be a good alternative with the software and computer technology support for solving changing varity open channel flow problems of particle-based Lagrange approach.