Numerical simulation and experimental verification of Dam-Break flows with shocks

New experimental results of 1D Dam-Break flows with shocks and results found in the literature are compared with those obtained by means of a numerical model based on the well-known McCormack shock-capturing scheme. In implementing the numerical scheme care has been taken to treat the source terms of the equations so that they are compatible with the resolution of shocks introducing artificial dissipation terms or Total Variation Diminishing (TVD) corrections. To verify the numerical model under severe test conditions, laboratory experiments have been carried out in which shock formation, reverse flow and wetting and drying conditions in the flow field were induced. The good agreement between experimental and computed results confirms the validity of the numerical model even in limit conditions that could occur in nature, for which the St. Venant hypotheses are not completely verified.