Device for triggering the destruction of a selected part of a hydraulic structure, such as a levee, a dike or a backfilled dam, and a hydraulic structure comprising such a device

PCT No. PCT/FR96/00577 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 17, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 17, 1997 PCT Filed Apr. 16, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO96/33312 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 24, 1996This device for triggering the destruction of a selected portion (1 or 11) of a hydraulic structure such as an embankment dam, dike, or levee built out of erodible material so as to be destroyable by hydraulic erosion is constituted by at least one massive element (5) which is disposed on the top of the selected portion (1, 11) of the structure and which is held there by gravity, the massive element (5) being dimensioned in size and in weight in such a manner as to be expelled by the water when it reaches a predefined level (N), the vertical dimension of the massive element measured beneath said predefined level (N) being selected in such a manner that the nappe which is released after the massive element has been expelled is of a thickness (+E,uns z+EE ) suitable for causing reliable and rapid destruction of the selected portion (1, 11) of the hydraulic structure.