Characterization of Partial Dam-Break Waves: Effects of Upstream and Downstream Water Levels

Accurate prediction of dam-break waves profiles is pivotal for risk assessment and remediation planning. This study focuses on wave characterizing of partial dam-break waves by comprehensively accounting for the influence of upstream and downstream water levels via tests. The way in which upstream and downstream water levels affect wave heights are analyzed, and the symmetry of the partial dam-break wave is examined using indicators such as the asymmetry As, skewness Sk, and proportion of subwaves Se. The profiles and wave speeds of partial dam-break waves are also compared with those of solitary waves to identify the ideal conditions for generating solitary waves. Additionally, a model that predicts solitary wave height based on the principle of mass conservation is presented. The results indicate that: (1) the height of the partial dam-break waves increases linearly as the water level difference hi increases; (2) partial dam-break waves exhibit asymmetry, and the wave front profiles align well with the theoretical solitary wave profiles; (3) solitary wave theory provides a more accurate prediction of the propagation speed of partial dam-break waves; (4) the corrected wave height prediction model exhibits an average absolute prediction error of 0.0010 m, demonstrating a superior prediction performance. This study enhances our understanding of the wave profiles of partial dam-break waves and introduces a new laboratory-based method for generating solitary waves.