Orsadem: A one-dimensional shallow water code for flood inundation modelling

Abstract

This paper describes the ORSADEM software, which solves one-dimensional (1-D) shallow water equations written in conservative form by numerical schemes suitable for the modelling of shocks and discontinuities generated by a dam break. Unlike the majority of commercial software, ORSADEM automatically defines the model cross-sections based on the terrain digital elevation model (DEM) and automatically maps the flood-prone areas, solving the hydraulic equations. The flooded area is mapped using a new method congruent with the unidimensionality of the model. ORSADEM does not need any external platforms. The software has been developed by researchers of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering at the University of Pavia and it is presented here applied to the case study of the Brembo River. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.