A Python implementation for the simplified dam-break flood modeling

Uma implementação em Python para a modelagem simplificada de manchas de inundação em rompimento de barragens

ABSTRACT

Since 2010, the Brazilian government has required that dams that fall within the national dam policy must present a safety plan, which, among other topics, must address the definition of the hypotheses and possible disaster scenarios. To achieve it, the flood zone due to an eventual failure must be modeled for the Hazard Potential (Dano Potencial Associado – DPA) classification. The flood zone is the result of complex hydraulic phenomena that are difficult to characterize. Given the demand for DPA analysis and the data unavailability, the National Water Agency (Agência Nacional de Águas - ANA) proposed a simplified methodology for generating the flood zone., This paper proposes a Python implementation for this methodology with a user-friendly Graphical User Interface. Our implementation relies on free and open-source software. The results are similar to those produced by the original implementation and can be generated considerably in less time and with less user interaction.

Keywords:  Flood zone; Dam failure; Python; Software; Hazard Potential