Author(s): Angelica Betancourth; Marti Sanchez-Juny; Beniamino Russo; Eduardo Martinez-Gomariz
Linked Author(s): Beniamino Russo
Keywords: Building infiltration; Experimental hydraulics; Hydrodynamic modelling; Urban flood modelling
Abstract: This study examines flow entering buildings through open doors during urban flooding using laboratory experiments and 2D numerical modelling. A physical street–building setup (scale 1:1) with one aperture was used to measure water depths and inflow for discharges of 20–200 L/s. Numerical simulations were performed with the IBER model, which solves the 2D Shallow Water Equations. Results show close agreement between experiments and simulations, with water-level differences of only a few millimetres and inflow errors generally below 8%. The model captures the main hydraulic behaviour at the openings, demonstrating its ability to represent building ingress in urban flood conditions.
Year: 2026