RAPID: Field Data on Levee Breaches

这是由土木、机械和制造创新部门以及国际科学与工程办公室共同资助的RAPID奖。堤防是沿着河流和运河修建的，作为防洪的一种手段。设计良好、施工合理的堤坝通常能有效抵御周期性较短的洪水。然而，近年来，世界范围内出现了历史性的洪水高峰，这可能与全球变暖现象有关。大多数堤坝的设计不能抵御大规模的洪水，在这种情况下可能会决堤。防洪堤的垮塌往往会导致财产、基础设施的巨大损失和人员伤亡。因此，了解和制定违约流程是及时进行紧急修复和关闭违约的必要条件。基于实验室的研究有助于对破坏过程的一些基本理解，并导致了一些破坏预测模型的发展。然而，小规模的实验室实验受到实验规模的影响，基于这些数据的模型可能不可靠。为了建立可靠的决口模型，有必要了解物理模型实验中的尺度效应。在NSF PIRE的资助下，我们目前正在进行更大规模的实验，以了解观察到的破坏过程的规模效应。然而，当有机会时，在现场规模上收集数据也很重要。巴基斯坦持续不断的洪水导致许多堤坝决口，既有自然的，也有工程的。这个RAPID项目将使我们能够迅速开始在实地规模上收集有价值的缺口和洪水数据。这些数据将有助于开发决口预测模型，清楚地了解决口演变过程，并了解工程决口对洪水缓解的有效性。这项研究将有助于更好地设计和维护堤坝，从而减少洪水事件中生命和财产的损失。通过与在实地研究方面经验丰富的水资源卓越中心（CEWRE）和巴基斯坦旁遮普省灌溉部合作，我们将能够在洪水消退和堤坝修复开始之间的短暂窗口期内收集有价值的数据。

This is a RAPID award which is co-funded by the Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation Division, and the Office of International Science and Engineering. Levees are constructed along rivers and canals as a means to protection against flood. Well-designed and properly-constructed levees are generally effective against floods of shorter recurrence intervals. In recent years, though, there has been a spike of historic floods worldwide which may be linked to the phenomenon of global warming. Most levees are not designed to withstand floods of large magnitude and may breach during such events. Levee-failure often leads to extensive damage to properties, infrastructures, and casualties. Understanding and formulating the breach process is, therefore, necessary for emergency repair and breach closure in a timely manner. Laboratory-based research has contributed to some basic understandings of the breach process, and led to the development of a number of breach prediction models. However, small-scale laboratory experiments are influenced by the scale of the experiment, and models based on these data may not be reliable. In order to develop reliable breach models, it is necessary to understand the scale effects on physical model experiments. With funding from an NSF PIRE grant, we are currently conducting experiments at larger scales to understand the scale effect on observed breach processes. However, it is also essential to collect data at the field scale, when the opportunity arises. The ongoing flood in Pakistan has led to numerous levee breaches, both natural, and engineered. This RAPID project will allow us to quickly embark on collecting valuable breach and flood data at the field scale. These data will be useful for developing breach prediction models, for gaining clear insight into the breach evolution process, and understanding the effectiveness of engineered breaches for flood mitigation. This research will contribute to the better design and maintenance of levees, resulting in reduction in the loss of life and property during flood events. By partnering with the Center for Excellence in Water Resources (CEWRE), and the Punjab Irrigation Department, Pakistan that are experienced in field-based research, we will be able to collect valuable data during a short window between flood recession and the inception of levee repair.