Assessing damage caused by debris impact to marine structures
One of the major issues associated with structures located in the tsunami inundation zone is impact of massive objects carried by the tsunami flow. Tsunami field surveys have reported that massive objects such as large ships, fishing boats, shipping containers, automobiles and large driftwoods were dispersed and drifted inland due to tsunami. Since it is feasible to relocate or secure most of the massive objects other than driftwoods, the impact of driftwoods is one of the major threats to seawalls. Proper estimation of impact force due to driftwood and assessment of damage to the seawalls are very important for safety evaluation of coastal structures. In particular, there are reinforced concrete seawalls in critical structures such as nuclear power plants, to prevent flooding inside the plant in case of a tsunami event. Risk of catastrophic failure of a sea wall due to impact of tsunami water-borne massive objects could lead to unprecedented damage to the critical structure and its consequences could be a substantial economic loss.
Kinetica Risk conducted studies on the impact of heavy objects on various concrete structural archetypes, including seawalls, bridge piers, and breakwater. By combining tsunami simulation and explicit impact modelling considering a wide range of object and sizes, we evaluated the extent of damage in critical marine infrastructure. In addition, we also evaluated the efficacy of various impact protection solutions and the cost benefits of implementing these measures for vulnerable coastal areas.
