The combination between numerical and computer models has improved dramatically the mathematical understanding of gravity currents; however, these models can not replace the analysis by experimental work. The use of scaled analogue models, or physical models, proved to be essential in validating velocity equations for turbidity currents. In order to reduce the level of difficulty to model mathematically these currents, some approximations were applied during the development of the velocity equation. Therefore, willing to prove that these approximations would not compromise the numerical results, innumerous experiments were performed to acquire a spatio-temporal velocity evolution database for both unconfined particle free and particulate turbidity flows. Comparing the results from the numerical and physical simulations, it was concluded that, unfortunately, the approximations have influenced the numerical results. Nevertheless, the data and visual comparisons between the simulations also revealed some encouraging results, which will stimulate some future research to improve the accuracy of the depth-averaging velocity equation.