Applications of the particle finite element method in dam engineering

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the application of the Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM) to the analysis of some of the more complex phenomena related to dam hydraulics: shock waves in spillways, aeration in bottom outlets, and erosion in the downstream river bed. Furthermore, the method has been applied to the study of the consequences of landslides in reservoirs: the wave generation, its propagation, and the affection to the dam.