Validation procedure for numerical model of hydraulic inflatable dam under pulse load

Abstract

Hydraulic inflatable dams are cylindrical dams, formed by load bearing rubberized fabrics, placed across streams to raise the upstream water level when inflated. During operation, they are exposed to the water flow and its static and dynamic characteristics. While the behavior of these structures under static load is well studied, the dynamic load is still under investigation. This is particularly emphasized when the water flow is in the form of wave causing pulse load. Such behavior is difficult to being studied analytically and usual method here is a numerical simulation. This article presents a validation procedure for a model for numerical simulation of a hydraulic inflatable dam under pulse load, caused by water wave. The used software is ANSYS CFX. The experimental equipment and experimental procedure are described for short, two-side fixed dam in a rectangular bed. Visual and numerical criterions are proposed in order to estimate the adequacy of the model.