https://doi.org/10.20965/jdr.2015.

p0467
An Experimental Study on Flood Control Capability
of Dry Dams Constructed in a Series

Paper:

An Experimental Study on Flood Control Capability of

Dry Dams Constructed in a Series
Hideo Oshikawa∗, Yuka Mito∗∗ , and Toshimitsu Komatsu∗∗∗
∗ Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saga University
1 Honjo-machi, Saga 840-8502, Japan
E-mail: hideoshikawa0821@gmail.com
∗∗ Kyushu Office, Waterworks Structure Division, CTI Engineering Co., Ltd.

CTI Fukuoka Building, 2-4-12 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0041, Japan

∗∗∗
Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University
744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
[Received December 15, 2014; accepted April 13, 2015]

The new Cascade concept of flood control is demon-
strated in laboratory experiments in which upstream
dams in a series of dams constructed along a river
overflow from emergency spillways while the final
downstream dam is required only to use its normal
spillway and never do its emergency spillway. Mul-
tiple small dry dams lacking a slide gate in a normal
spillway should be constructed in a series rather than
as a single large dam to prevent flood disasters and
to preserve the natural environment. Dry dams for
flood control have recently been reviewed, planned,
and built at sites in Japan. In this paper, we com-
pare the Cascade method to conventional flood con-
trol in laboratory experiments conducted based on the
condition that dams all have the same reservoir capac-
ity. Results have shown that the Cascade method us-
ing multiple dry dams was considerably more effec-
tive than conventional flood control. Furthermore, the
additional flood control effect of a dry dam equipped
with closable and openable gate in its regular spill-
way was experimentally confirmed although there is
no such kind of the gate on an ordinary dry dam. This
new dry dam should be constructed in the river’s up-
per reaches away from the existing downstream stor-
age dam needing still more its capacity for water uti-
lization, thus ensuring the amount of water available
by closing the regular spillway after the dry dam is
filled to capacity. The flood control capacity of dams
including the new dry dam is stronger than that of an
ordinary storage dam thanks to the dry dam’s storage
function.
Keywords: dry dam, overflow, spillway, Cascade-type
flood control, laboratory experiment
1. Introduction
Natural disasters such as torrential rains, droughts, and
typhoons are becoming increasingly intense and frequent.
This has been presumed to be due to global warming [1].
Other harmful effects of global warming are also expected
to occur. These effects are expected to include the worri-
some prospect of extremely large-scale flooding exceed-
ing flood control design levels and leading to catastrophic
disasters. Preventing such disasters requires that more
flood control measures be implemented [2]. On the other
hand, as Japan has emerged as an advanced economy, en-
vironmental conservation has become a major public con-
cern. Although civil works projects for dealing with an
increase in such potential disasters must be planned, such
public works often conflict with environmental preserva-
tion. Large-scale public works also face budget difficul-
ties due to the current long-term economic slump, causing
small-scale public works such as small dams to attract at-
tention.
To prevent flooding and preserve the natural environ-
ment, multiple small dry dams in a river basin should
be constructed instead of a single, large dam [3]. A dry
dam is a flood control dam without a slide gate in a spill-
way and does not usually save water in a reservoir except
during floods. Recently, a dry dam has been reviewed,
planned, and built in Japan [4, 5]. A dry dam is more
eco-friendly than a usual water storage dam [5–7]. Un-
til the 1970s, relatively small dry dams were constructed
in Japan to prevent agricultural disasters. As Japan has
few examples of full-scale dry dams to protect lives and
property other than the Masudagawa Dam for exam-
ple, further research is needed [4, 5]. The United States
has some good examples of dry dams from the 1920s,
such as Ohio’s Miami Conservancy District, whose pur-
pose is to control flooding [8, 9]. Austria also has many
small ecofriendly earth-fill dry dams, called flood reten-
tion basins or flood control basins [10, 11].
This paper tests the Cascade flood control concept by
using a physical model in experiments in which multi-
ple dams are constructed in a series along a river [12].
The Cascade method, which enables upstream dams to
overflow from emergency spillways but requires the fi-
nal downstream dam to hold, is expected to strengthen
the flood control capability of a river’s lower reaches,
where flood control is more important than that in its

Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015 467

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Oshikawa, H., Mito, Y., and Komatsu, T.
upper reaches. The previous research was based on rel-
atively simple 1-dimensional numerical simulation, and
the suitability of assumptions and model parameters for
simulation, e.g., coefficients of discharge, was not dis-
cussed [12]. The Cascade method changes conventional
flood control concepts, however, meaning that the esti-
mation of flood control effects using numerical simula-
tion alone in a virtual space was not enough in a disaster
prevention study. In this paper, we performed laboratory
experiments in a real space to test the flood control capa-
bility of multiple dry dams based on our proposed design.
Such dry dams may improve the water use, flood con-
trol, and environmental friendliness under current condi-
tions in Thailand in which widespread flooding caused
much damage in 2011 [13–15]. Considering Thailand’s
present situation, a new type of dry dam for water uti-
lization having a “lid,” or a closable gate was proposed to
maintain current water use and to improve flood control
capability [12]. In the 2011 flood disaster in Thailand,
large dams upstream in the Chao Phraya River were un-
able to aid much in flood control due to the tradeoff be-
tween agricultural water use and flood control. In Japan,
as in Thailand, the flood control function of a multipur-
pose dam is improved even if only part of the service
water capacity is released ahead of a flood event. Such
prior release is difficult, however, because it is difficult
to recover the released service water capacity if actual in-
flow following advance release does not reach a predicted
level. With the new dry dam upstream from a multipur-
pose dam, however, the full dam reservoir capacity is re-
tained and flood water is still stored in the flood basin by
closing off the bottom outlet – the “lid” – of the dry dam
upstream as soon as it fills and water begins overflowing
from the emergency spillway. Releasing this water after a
flood subsides completely recovers the service water ca-
pacity of the multipurpose dam downstream and reduces
peak flood discharge. We had examined the flood control
effects of “lids” on individual dry dams using numerical
simulation for dry dams arranged in a series [12]. We also
needed, however, to confirm the effects in a real space, so
we conducted similar laboratory experiments in this study.
2. Methodology
Experiments were carried out in a unidirectional open
channel 14 m long, 0.6 m wide, and having a maximum
water depth of 0.6 m and a bottom slope of 1/25 (Fig. 1).
The channel has a honeycomb grating upstream to reduce
water surface disturbance. To more easily compare the
effects of each dam, all three dams constructed in a se-
ries were the same except for their bottom spillway (out-
let hole). Each dam was 15.0 cm high (H). Dams had
vertical walls with rectangular cross-sections. The lateral
width of each outlet in the middle of the dam was 5.0 cm,
and the hole height was an arbitrary variable for adjusting
the cross-sectional area. Specifically, there are two types
of dry dams used in experiments: a sharp-crested weir cut
at a 45 degree angle – Case A and Case C, Fig. 1(d) – and
468
Fig. 1. Schematic of the experimental system: (a) side view
of a channel, (b) plane view of a channel, (c) front view of a
dam, (d) side view of a dam for Cases A and C, (e) side view
of a dam for Case B.
a rectangular plate, Case B, Fig. 1(e). Dams in Case A
are constructed at longitudinal positions 4.75, 9.00, and
13.25 m from the upstream edge and those in Case B at
4.10, 8.35, and 12.60 m. Both cases are spaced so that no
dam body affects the storage capacity of its downstream
dam, since the bottom slope is sufficiently steep. Each
emergency spillway is gateless and lets water freely over-
flow from its dam crest. The lateral width of each emer-
gency spillway runs the entire 0.6 m length of the top of
a dam. The storage capacity of each dam, disregarding its
sediment storage capacity, is 0.16875 m3 in all cases.
A flood maker consisting of a valve inside a water
distribution pipe was used to create an expected inflow
hydrograph (Fig. 1). A calibration curve between valve
opening width and flow discharge in each steady state was
created in a preliminary experiment. Fig. 2 shows flood
hydrographs where inflow discharges QinA and QinB are
plotted versus time for Cases A, C, and B. Table 1 lists
the conditions considered later and results of maximum
outflow discharge Q3Max from the third dam in the most
downstream reach. QiMax is the maximum outflow dis-
charge from each dam. Subscript i (= 1, 2 or 3) indicates
the dam number from upstream.
In Cases A and C, normal inflow discharge Qb is
66 cm3 /s, peak inflow discharge Q p is 5982 cm3 /s, and the
flood duration is roughly 200 s. In Case B, normal inflow
discharge Qb is 0, peak inflow discharge Q p is 5517 cm3 /s,
and the flood duration is roughly 100 s (Fig. 2 and Ta-
ble 1).
Three digital video cameras were used to record time
series data for each stage just upstream of dams. A camera
was mounted next to each dam and stage data was read
every 5.0 s from image data.
Figure 3 shows examples of stage-discharge curves for
Cases A1 and A2. Stage-discharge curves where water
Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015
 An Experimental Study on Flood Control Capability
of Dry Dams Constructed in a Series

(a) QinA

Fig. 3. Examples of stage-discharge curves from the experiment.

because the slope of the experimental channel is very

steep (1/25). The purpose of experiments was to confirm
the effect of the Cascade method on a real space based on
a comparison between the Cascade method and its corre-
sponding conventional one, so these experiments are not
satisfied with strict Froude similarity.
(b) QinB
Overflow from the emergency spillway on the top of
Fig. 2. Inflow flood hydrographs generated by the flood each dam occurred often in this study, but there was no
maker: (a) Case A and Case C, (b) Case B. overflow from the river course, that is, from experimental
channel side walls. In this study, we assume that dry dams
are constructed in an upstream region where dam overflow
Table 1. Experimental conditions and results. and localized water level increases are permissible to a
Qp Q a1 Q a2 Q a3 Q 3Max
certain degree, meaning a nonresidential area, wasteland,
Case No. M ethod Optimization or farmland. In other words, the entire area upstream from
[cm3/s] [cm3/s] [cm3/s] [cm3/s] [cm3/s]
Case A1 Conventional Each 3 dam 5982 3570 3030 2300 2300
the final downstream dam is considered to be a type of
Case A2 Cascade None 5982 2300 2300 2300 2110 flood retardation basin [18]. In the Cascade method, only
Case A3 Cascade
Downstream
5982 1390 1390 1390 1390
overflow from the emergency spillway on the final dam
dam had to be avoided.
Case B1 Conventional Each 3 dam 5517 3650 2440 1460 1460
Case B2 Cascade None 5517 1460 1460 1460 1150
Cascade
Case C1 None 5982 1390 1390 1390 1240
with lids 3. Experimental Results
Cascade Downstream
Case C2 5982 1073 1073 1073 1073
with lids dam
3.1. Case A Flood Control Capability of Dry Dams
Constructed in a Series
depth in front of a dam is less than its height (15.0 cm) in- In Case A, outflow discharge in the Cascade flood con-
crease approximately proportionally to the 1/2 power, fol- trol method was compared to that in a conventional flood
lowing Torricelli’s theorem [16]. Overflow occurs where control method for the channel where three dry dams were
water depth exceeds dam height, causing the curve to constructed.
spike. Unsteady water depths measured by cameras were Suitable conventional flood control was performed in
converted to unsteady outflow discharges using the plot in Case A1. Based on the conventional flood control method
Fig. 3. without overflow, appropriate bottom outlet heights hb
This physical scale model is, to a certain degree, based from the dam furthest upstream were found by trial and
on the Froude similarity. Froude number Fr equals 4 error to be 6.075, 4.67, and 3.745 cm (Case A1). Fig. 4
at peak outflow discharge from the downstream dam in shows the time series of the inflow discharge for the up-
Case A3, which is calculated by Torricelli’s theorem [16] stream dam and water surface levels (WSLs) in each dam
and the measured water depth after passing through the reservoir. All maximum water surface levels in Fig. 4 are
bottom outlet. The Froude number in some dry dams in 15.0 cm, equal to the height of the dam, meaning that con-
Japan, e.g., the Masudagawa Dam, is 3 to 6, and close ventional flood control was achieved appropriately with-
to that in these experiments. Shahmirzadi [17] performed out overflow occurring. Fig. 5 shows the inflow discharge
a series of laboratory experiments targeting Japanese dry time series for the upstream dam and outflow discharge
dams in cases in which Fr = 4.3. The time scale of values for each dam, which were converted from val-
flood duration in this experiment is, however, consider- ues in Fig. 4 using corresponding stage-discharge curves
ably shorter than in its ideal Froude similarity experiment (Fig. 3). In Fig. 5, the maximum outflow discharges of up-

Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015 469

Oshikawa, H., Mito, Y., and Komatsu, T.
Fig. 4. Inflow discharge and water surface levels (WSLs) in
the conventional method (Case A1).
Fig. 5. Flow discharges in the conventional method (Case A1).
stream, middle, and downstream dams are Q1Max = 3570,
Q2Max = 3030, and Q3Max = 2300 cm3 /s, which are equal
to design high water discharge Qai , because maximum
water surface level times in Fig. 4 corresponding to max-
imum outflow discharge times in Fig. 5 are equal to times
when each water surface level is H.
The Cascade method, which permits overflow from
emergency spillways of upstream and middle dams, was
applied in Case A2. From Case A1 results, we as-
sumed that the channel could accommodate flows up to
2300 cm3 /s in the Cascade method, which is equivalent
to Qa3 of the downstream dam. The hb of 3.745 cm from
the downstream dam in Case A1 was therefore used for
the three dams in Case A2. Fig. 6 shows the time series
for the upstream dam inflow discharge and dam reservoir
water surface levels for Case A2.
In Fig. 6 overflows occur from upstream and middle
dam emergency spillways because maximum water sur-
face levels exceed their height. The maximum water sur-
face level at the downstream dam is 13.2 cm, which is
below the dam height, meaning that the flood control ca-
pability of the Cascade method is much better than that of
the conventional method. There was also additional space
for storage capacity in the Case A2 downstream dam even
when the maximum water surface level was reached.
Figure 7 shows the inflow discharge time series of
the upstream dam and dam outflow discharge values in
470
Fig. 6. Inflow discharge and water surface levels (WSLs) in
the Cascade method (Case A2).
Fig. 7. Flow discharges in the Cascade method (Case A2).
Case A2, which were converted from Fig. 6. The maxi-
mum outflow discharge at the downstream dam, shown in
Fig. 7, i.e., Q3Max , is 2110 cm3 /s, i.e., 8.3% less than Qa3 ,
which is 2300 cm3 /s.
The Cascade method is useful in flood control. Tak-
ing into account unoccupied space in Case A2, opti-
mum common hb for individual dams without overflow-
ing the downstream dam was found by trial and error to
be 2.28 cm in Case A3. Fig. 8 shows the inflow discharge
time series for the upstream dam and water surface levels
in individual dam reservoirs for Case A3 and Fig. 9 those
for the same inflow and outflow discharge from individual
dams. Note that Fig. 9 was created from Fig. 8 data. The
maximum water surface level in the downstream dam in
Fig. 8 is 15.0 cm, which equals H. This is at a maximum
outflow discharge of 1390 cm3 /s at 350 s in Fig. 9. Flood
control is thus markedly effective, i.e., the Case A3 value
of 1390 cm3 /s is 40% less than the corresponding Case A1
value of 2300 cm3 /s. This is one reason why the Cascade
method takes more time for flood control than the con-
ventional method, i.e., the cross-sectional area of the bot-
tom outlet in dams using the Cascade method is smaller
than the corresponding bottom outlet in the conventional
method. In the downstream dam, flood control time us-
ing the Cascade method is 670 s, derived from 105 s to
775 s in Fig. 9, when Qout exceeds Qb , while that using
the conventional method is 440 s, derived from 105 s to
545 s in Fig. 5. Note that each area (integral) of the time
Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015

Fig. 8. Inflow discharge and water surface levels (WSLs) in
the Cascade method (Case A3).
Fig. 9. Flow discharges in the Cascade method (Case A3).
series in outflow discharge using the conventional method
in Fig. 5 is the same, while that using the Cascade method
in Fig. 9 is differs slightly because of differences in over-
flow depths in the upstream and middle dams.
3.2. Case B Flood Control Capability of Dry Dams
Constructed in a Series
The effectiveness of the Cascade method was exam-
ined for a hydrograph differing considerably from that in
Case A. In Case B, the time series for the water surface
level and outflow discharge at the three dry dams in the
Cascade method were compared to those in the conven-
tional method for hydrograph QinB , because no firm con-
clusion can be reached about the flood control advantages
of the Cascade method based on results for hydrograph
QinA alone.
Critical bottom outlet heights without overflowing,
based on Case B1 in a conventional flood control method
were 7.62, 3.91, and 2.49 cm for the upstream, middle,
and downstream dams. Fig. 10 shows the inflow discharge
time series for the upstream dam and water surface lev-
els at individual dam reservoirs. The conventional method
achieved flood control because all of the maximum water
surface levels were roughly 15 cm, the same as each dam
height. Fig. 11 shows the inflow discharge time series for
the upstream dam and outflow discharge from the three
dams, which were converted from Fig. 10. Maximum out-
Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015
An Experimental Study on Flood Control Capability
of Dry Dams Constructed in a Series
Fig. 10. Inflow discharge and water surface levels (WSLs)
in the conventional method (Case B1).
Fig. 11. Flow discharges in the conventional method (Case B1).
flow discharges for the upstream, middle, and downstream
dams, shown in Fig. 11, are Q1Max = 3650, Q2Max = 2440,
and Q3Max = 1460 cm3 /s which are equal to each design
high water discharge Qai , because each water surface level
is maximum in Fig. 10 when each one roughly reaches to
H.
The Cascade method used in Case B2 demonstrated
much more effective flood control than that in Case B1,
i.e., the conventional method. Considering the results
of Case B1, the design high water discharge value
1460 cm3 /s for the downstream dam was used in all
Case B2 dams. This means that hb values were all set to
2.49 cm, i.e., the same critical bottom outlet height as for
the downstream dam in Case B1. Fig. 12 shows the inflow
discharge time series for the upstream dam and water sur-
face levels in individual dam reservoirs in Case B2. Note
that although overflows occur at the emergency spillway
of the upstream dam, the maximum water surface level of
10.5 cm at the downstream dam is much lower than its
height of 15 cm. This means that the flood control capa-
bility using the Cascade method is greater than that of the
conventional method. The maximum water surface level
at the middle dam in Case B2 is also 0.5 cm lower than
the dam height, which means that only the upstream and
middle dams are required to control QinB .
Figure 13, which was prepared from data in Fig. 12,
illustrates the advantages of the Cascade method in the
471
Oshikawa, H., Mito, Y., and Komatsu, T.
Fig. 12. Inflow discharge and water surface levels (WSLs)
in the Cascade method (Case B2).
Fig. 13. Flow discharges in the Cascade method (Case B2).
Case B2 flow discharge time series. The maximum out-
flow discharge at the downstream dam, i.e., Q3Max , is
1150 cm3 /s, i.e., 21% lower than Qa3 in Case B2, which
was 1460 cm3 /s. The maximum outflow discharge at the
middle dam, i.e., Q2Max , is 20 cm3 /s lower than Qa2
(= Qa3 ). This, in turn, means that the downstream dam
is unnecessary when flood control measures are designed
for QinB .
3.3. Flood Control Capability of Dry Dams Having
a Regular Spillway with a Lid
As explained by Oshikawa et al. [12], dry dams with
regular spillways that can be opened and closed, i.e., bot-
tom outlets with lids, are proposed for the main purpose of
water utilization. They will also control flooding to some
degree, however, because they have water storage capac-
ity. To clarify the flood control effect of dry dams with
lids, we therefore conducted laboratory experiments us-
ing the Cascade flood control method used in Case A3 in
Section 1 to concisely express the function of a regular
spillway with a lid by closing the bottom outlet for flood
control after the dam reached full capacity, i.e., Case C1.
Specifically, the size of holes in bottom outlets and the in-
flow flood hydrograph were all the same as in Case A3.
Holes in bottom outlets in upstream and midstream dams
were simultaneously closed when individual dams were
at full capacity.
472
Fig. 14. Inflow discharge and water surface levels in the
Lid-Cascade type (Case C1).
Fig. 15. Flow discharges in the Lid-Cascade type (Case C1).
Variations with time for water surface levels in indi-
vidual dam reservoirs in Case C1 are shown in Fig. 14
with the inflow flood hydrograph QinA . The maximum wa-
ter surface level in the downstream dam in Fig. 14 was
13.2 cm, i.e., 12.0% smaller than H. This means that
the flood control capability of the Cascade with lids, i.e.,
Case C1, is higher than that of the normal Cascade, i.e.,
Case A3, even though flood overflows from emergency
spillways in the upstream and middle dams in both cases.
In Case C1, upstream and middle dam reservoirs are al-
ways full after water surface levels are over dam heights
because holes in bottom outlets are closed. Water im-
pounded in the two reservoirs can thus be used for water
utilization after floods.
Figure 15 shows the time series of the inflow flood
hydrograph and outflow discharge values for individual
dams, which were converted from values in Fig. 14. The
maximum outflow discharge of upstream, middle, and
downstream dams are 4000, 3450, and 1240 cm3 /s, as
shown in Fig. 15. Q3Max in the Cascade method with lids
is 46% smaller than Q3Max , i.e., 2300 cm3 /s, in the con-
ventional method shown in Fig. 5. Q3Max using the Cas-
cade method with lids is 11% smaller than Q3Max , i.e.,
1390 cm3 /s, using the Cascade method shown in Fig. 9,
and “lids” strengthened the flood control capability with
the Cascade method. Note also that in Case C1, there
is unoccupied space in the storage capacity of the down-
Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015

Fig. 16. Inflow discharge and water surface levels in the
Lid-Cascade type (Case C2).
Fig. 17. Flow discharges in the Lid-Cascade type (Case C2).
stream dam, even at the maximum water surface level
shown in Fig. 14.
Figure 16 shows the inflow discharge time series
and water surface levels in individual dam reservoirs in
Case C2. The cross-sectional area in bottom outlets is then
optimized so that all of the spare storage volume in the
downstream dam in Case C1 is used and then the area is
the same as that for the three dams. The downstream dam
in Fig. 16 does not overflow and its maximum water sur-
face level is the same as the dam height, even though the
upstream and middle dams overflowed continuously after
reaching their full capacity.
The peak outflow discharge from the dam furthest
downstream in Case C2 was compared to that in Case A1
and Case A3. Fig. 17 was created based on Fig. 16
data. The maximum outflow discharge in Case C2 is
1073 cm3 /s, which is 23% smaller than that in Case A3,
i.e., 1390 cm3 /s. That in Case C2 is, again, 53% smaller
than that in conventional Case A1. The significant flood
control effect was obtained by attaching lids to regu-
lar spillways and closing them when full capacity was
reached, as shown in Figs. 15 and 17.
4. Discussion
The Cascade method is applicable both to normal dry
dams and to water storage dams with gate operations,
Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015
An Experimental Study on Flood Control Capability
of Dry Dams Constructed in a Series
which is an example of the positive use of the provi-
sory operation originally viewed as a negative aspect of
gate operation in flooding beyond design high water dis-
charge [5]. The Cascade method is expected to be useful
for adapting to climate change because it is implemented
by simply modifying slide gate operation on existing stor-
age dams constructed in a series. The Cascade method
also avoid the criticism raised by inundation victims that
overflow from a downstream dam would cause severe
flood damage in residential areas even though water stor-
age capacity in an upstream dam would be still available
using the conventional method because individual dams
using the Cascade method control flooding by using their
full storage capacity. This means that, when the Cascade
method is used, overflow necessarily occurs at upstream
dams in cases of overflows from a downstream dam in sit-
uations similar to those in these experiments, e.g., without
a tributary. Note that the Cascade method is also applica-
ble to rivers with tributaries because the river flow dis-
charge increases linearly.
Application of the Cascade method is expected to make
disaster prevention using dry dams compatible with envi-
ronmental preservation. Using the Cascade method with
dry dams is expected to be much more environmentally
friendly than methods using a traditional large water stor-
age dam. This is because a dry dam places a lower burden
on the environment than a conventional water storage dam
of the same size. The Cascade method is environmentally
friendly even when used with conventional water storage
dams because the size of individual dams constructed in a
series is reduced.
5. Conclusions
This study involved a river basin with a sequence of dry
dams modeled in laboratory experiments whose results
demonstrated the advantages of the Cascade flood control
method. The Cascade flood control method that we pro-
posed above is much more effective than a conventional
method that does not enable water to overflow from indi-
vidual emergency spillways. The Cascade method enables
water to overflow from emergency spillways of dams con-
structed in a series, except for the dam furthest down-
stream, which is generally the dam closest to neighboring
residential areas and thus the most important to them.
We also demonstrated in laboratory experiments the
flood control effects of a new type of dry dam that consid-
ers water use as such. This new dry dam is effective in the
water use, flood control, and environmental friendliness
needed in Thailand. The new dry dam has a closable gate
for a regular spillway, mainly for water use. Its effective-
ness in flood control was further confirmed in laboratory
experiments. This new type also ensures water use ca-
pacity by closing regular spillways with gates after dams
are full to capacity. Its flood control capability is also
strengthened by its storage function, and is thus superior
to conventional dry dams.
473
 Oshikawa, H., Mito, Y., and Komatsu, T.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our appreciation for help provided by
Kazuo Fujita in performing experiments. This study was sup-
ported in part by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 25420526, and
the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (S-
8-2(2)) of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan.
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474
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Name:
Hideo Oshikawa
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engi-
neering and Architecture, Graduate School of
Science and Engineering, Saga University
Address:
1 Honjo-machi, Saga 840-8502, Japan
Brief Career:
1998 Joined Kyushu University
2015 Joined Saga University
Selected Publications:
• “‘Disaster Immunity’ – A New Concept for Disaster Reduction in
Adaptation to Disaster Hazard Intensification,” H. Oshikawa, K. Asai, K.
Tsukahara, and T. Komatsu, Journal of Disaster Research, Vol.4, No.1,
pp. 7-11, February, 2009.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:
• International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research (IAHR)
• Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE)
• Japan Society of Fluid Mechanics (JSFM)
Name:
Yuka Mito
Affiliation:
CTI Engineering Co., Ltd., Waterworks Struc-
ture Division, Kyushu Office
Address:
CTI Fukuoka Bldg., 2-4-12 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0041, Japan
Brief Career:
2013 Joined CTI Engineering Co., Ltd.,Waterworks Structure Division
Selected Publications:
• “Study of Flood Control Capability and Advanced Application of
Multiple Dams Constructed in Series,” H. Oshikawa, Y. Mito, and T.
Komatsu, Journal of Disaster Research, Vol.8, No.3, pp. 447-455, 2013.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:
• Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE)
Name:
Toshimitsu Komatsu
Affiliation:
Professor Emeritus, Dr. Eng., Kyushu University
Address:
744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
Brief Career:
2012- Professor Emeritus, Kyushu University
Selected Publications:
• “Refined Numerical Scheme for Advective Transport in Diffusion
Simulation,” Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol.123, No.1, ASCE,
pp. 41-50, 1997.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:
• International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research (IAHR)
• Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE)
• Engineering Academy of Japan (EAJ)
Journal of Disaster Research Vol.10 No.3, 2015