An experimental study on the continuous breaking of a dam

An experimental investigation of the flow resulting from the continuous breaking of a dam is presented. Based on these experimental results, a coherent and consistent picture is built about the flow characteristics associated with the finite removal time. Plausible speculations about the flow behaviour for the small and large removal time limits, where no experimental data could be obtained, are offered. This constitutes a solid theoretical basis for future mathematical models. A practical method for calculating discharge and water depth hydrographs at the dam site is presented, which can be used to predict the propagation of the resulting wave.