EMBREA breach model

EMBREA breach model

Overview
The performance of flood defence embankments and embankment dams is critical for the protection of
people and assets from flooding and the successful operation of reservoirs for flood attenuation, power
generation and water supply. With increasing frequency and magnitude of storm events through climate
change, and moves towards risk based flood and asset management, it is essential for owners and
managers to understand and predict how an embankment might respond under severe flood conditions. The
EMBREA model has been developed specifically to meet industry needs for the prediction and management
of flood risk resulting from breach formation through flood defence embankments and embankment dams.
The model draws on research work undertaken around the world and at HR Wallingford to provide a state-of-
the-art and easy-to-use tool for reliably predicting breach growth and providing an estimate of the rate at
which the embankment might fail under different hydraulic conditions.

EMBREA unique features

The EMBREA model continues to be developed at HR Wallingford and currently simulates:
 Breach through overtopping of homogeneous and layered embankments
 Breach through overtopping of a composite embankment (e.g. clay core, earth fill)
 Piping failure of homogeneous and layered embankments
 Failure of embankment surface protection (e.g. grass cover / stone rip rap)
 Probabilistic approach to simulating variability in embankment material properties and construction
quality
The model can run in single simulation mode (i.e. run produces only one output) or Monte Carlo simulation
model (i.e. a run produces a probability distribution of the output parameters).

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 EMBREA breach model

The model has been developed to operate within a standard 'Windows' environment and allows for easy
handling of modelling data and visualisation of results to provide a flexible modelling tool for determining
potential flood risks.

Benchmarking
Within the EU research project IMPACT, a review of a number of existing breach model performance was
undertaken, along with research and development of new models. Research within IMPACT has shown that
the performance of the EMBREA model (formerly called HR Breach) is, on average, the best out of the
models compared. Details of the IMPACT research and the fundamental principles modelled within the
HR BREACH model may be found at www.impact-project.net.

Software availability
The EMBREA model has gone recently through a number of major changes in and is now under beta
testing. It is anticipated that it will be available for commercial licensing in April 2014.