Impulse waves from laboratory scale to mega-tsunamis

Abstract

Impulse waves are counted to the most dangerous natural hazards, because ofthe large masses of slide material involved, the huge waves triggered on large water bodies andtheir tremendous devastation potential. A spectacular and destructive impulse wave in relationto hydropower installations occurred on October 9, 1963 in North-eastern Italy. Since this inci-dent, dam safety has become a global issue and all major dams have to be assessed against suchphenomena.VAW has conducted a variety of experimental research relating to impulse waves, mainly toaccount for the large risk that is involved with these natural hazards in relation with reservoirs toproduce hydropower inAlpine countries. Within the past six years, two PhD theses were completedof which the primary purpose was to investigate these devastating waves, thereby using moderninstrumentation and advanced computer systems for data analysis and evaluation. The following isa summary of results that may be of interest to hydraulic engineers both working with scale modelsand with numerical methods.