A fractional-step Pade-Galerkin model for dam-break flow simulation

A Pade-Galerkin solution for dam-break simulations is proposed. The fractional time-step integration of Saint-Venant equations is obtained by a three-stage Pade implicit approximation, whereas the spatial discretization is obtained by the standard Galerkin finite-element method. The model, unconditionally stable, becomes dissipative with the formulation of the unknown quantity mass matrix in lumped form. Results, in terms of water profiles and depth hydrographs, following dam-break phenomena, are investigated in one- and two-dimensional problems. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.