In this study, an overtopping model experiments and three dimensional seepage characteristics at the deteriorated homogeneous reservoirs were performed to investigate the behavior of failure for embankment and spillway transitional zone due to overtopping. The failure pattern, pore water pressure, earth pressure and settlement by overtopping were compared and analyzed. The pattern of the failure by overtopping was gradually enlarged towards reservoirs crest from the spillway transition zone at initial stage. In the rapid stage and peak stage, the width and depth of failure gradually increased, and the pattern of the failure appeared irregular and several direction of the erosion. In the early stage, the pore water pressure at spillway transitional zone was more affected as its variation and failure width increased. In the peak stage, the pore water pressure was significantly increased in all locations due to the influence of seepage. The earth pressure increased gradually according to overtopping stage. The pore pressure by the numerical analysis was larger than the experimental value, and the analysis was more likely to increase steadily without any apparent variation. The horizontal and vertical displacements were the largest at the toe of slope and at the top of the dam crest, respectively. The results of this displacement distribution can be applied as a basis for determining the position of reinforcement at the downstream slope and the crest. The collapse in the overtopping stage began with erosion of the most vulnerable parts of the dam crest, and the embankment was completely collapsed as the overtopping stage increased.