Abstract:Frequent geological activities and extreme natural disasters in Southwest China have in-duced a large number of landslide dams, making the region a high-risk area for such formations. Thesedams are characterized by their sudden occurrence and high danger, posing serious threats to the livesand property of people in the affected river basins. An in-depth investigation into the breaching processof climbing-type landslide dams can provide essential theoretical support for hazard prevention and mit-igation. This study focuses on the primary factors affecting the overtopping breach of climbing-typelandslide dams, including soil particle gradation, backwater slope gradient, and dam crest shape. Theovertopping breach evolution process of the dam was analyzed in terms of overtopping breach process,breach flow process, breach evolution process, residual dam structure, and downstream sedimenta-tion. Experimental results indicated that as the gradation of soil and rock materials became broader,the overall stability of the dam increased, the breach duration extended, and the flood peak flow de-creased. In addition, the peak occurrence was delayed, and the residual breach top width was smallerwith a larger dam body volume. The sediment transport distance from the dam toe was shorter, andthe sediment thickness at 1 meter from the dam toe was thinner. Conversely, a steeper backwaterslope resulted in greater kinetic energy of the water flow, accelerating the breaching process. This re-sulted in a fully developed breach, an increase in flood peak flow, earlier peak occurrence, and a widerresidual breach top with a smaller dam body volume. The sediment transport distance from the damtoe was longer, and sediment thickness at 1 meter from the dam toe was greater. Additionally, a larg-er width-to-depth ratio led to a higher relative breach position and a greater head difference during theerosion stage, accelerating the erosion process. This resulted in a fully developed breach, larger resid-ual breach top width, smaller total dam body volume, a longer sediment transport distance from thedam toe, and greater sediment thickness at 1 meter from the dam toe.