The smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is a meshless method in a pure Lagrangian framework, which is suitable for simulating wave overturning and breaking, high-speed jets and other dynamic boundary and large deformation problems. This manuscript introduces the basic principles and improvement methods of the SPH method, and uses the SPH method to establish different types of numerical flume models, and simulates the dam-breaking motions of different types of flumes in detail. Comparison of the computational results of the SPH simulation and the experimental results from the literature reveals that the computational results of the adopted SPH method match the experimental results from the literature to a high degree, and are able to accurately capture the droplet splashing, free surface deformation, etc., which validates the stability of the numerical model. By comparing the simulation of dam failure flow of two different forms of energy dissipating cans, the energy dissipation effect of the two types of barriers is analyzed and compared.