A series of experiments have been carried out in the large wave flume (LWF) at Oregon State University to quantify tsunami bore forces on structures. These tests included “offshore” solitary waves, with heights up to 1.3 m, that traveled over a flat bottom, up a sloping beach, and breaking onto a flat reef. Standing water depths on the reef varied from 0.05 m to 0.3 m. Resulting bores on the reef measured up to approximately 0.8 m. After propagating along the reef, the bores struck a vertical wall. The resulting forces and pressures on the wall were measured. The test setup in the LWF is described, and the experimental results are reported. The results include forces and pressure distributions. Results show that the bores propagated with a Froude number of approximately 2 and that the forces follow Froude scaling. Finally, a design formula for the maximum impact force is given. The formula is shown to be an improvement over existing formulas found in the literature.

References

1.
Robertson
,
I.
,
Riggs
,
H. R.
,
Yim
,
S.
, and
Young
,
Y. L.
,
2006
, “
Lessons From Katrina
,”
Civil Eng. Mag.
,
76
(
4
), pp.
56
63
.
2.
Robertson
,
I. N.
,
Carden
,
L.
,
Riggs
,
H. R.
,
Yim
,
S.
,
Young
,
Y. L.
,
Paczkowski
,
K.
, and
Witt
,
D.
,
2010
, “
Reconnaissance Following the September 29, 2009 Tsunami in Samoa
,”
University of Hawaii
,
Honolulu
, Report No. UHM/CEE10-01.
3.
Robertson
,
I. N.
,
Riggs
,
H. R.
,
Yim
,
S. C. S.
, and
Young
,
Y. L.
,
2007
, “
Lessons From Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge on Bridges and Buildings
,”
J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng.
,
133
(
6
), pp.
463
483
.10.1061/(ASCE)0733-950X(2007)133:6(463)
4.
Ghobarah
,
A.
,
Saatcioglu
,
M.
, and
Nistor
,
I.
,
2006
, “
The Impact of the 26 December 2004 Earthquake and Tsunami on Structures and Infrastructure
,”
J. Eng. Struct.
,
28
(
2
), pp.
312
326
.10.1016/j.engstruct.2005.09.028
5.
Yeh
,
H.
,
Francis
,
M.
,
Peterson
,
C.
,
Katada
,
T.
,
Latha
,
G.
,
Chadha
,
R. K.
,
Singh
,
J. P.
, and
Rahghuraman
,
G.
,
2007
, “
Effects of the 2004 Great Sumatra Tsunami: Southeast Indian Coast
,”
J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng.
,
133
(
6
), pp.
382
400
.10.1061/(ASCE)0733-950X(2007)133:6(382)
6.
Arnason
,
H.
,
2005
, “
Interactions Between an Incident Bore and a Free-Standing Coastal Structure
,” Ph.D. thesis,
University of Washington
,
Seattle, WA
.
7.
Arsen'ev
,
S. A.
,
Zhivogina
,
O. A.
,
Seliverstov
,
S. V.
, and
Shelkovnikov
,
N. K.
,
1998
, “
Force Action of Tsunamis on Different Structures
,”
At. Energy
,
85
(
1
), pp.
497
500
.10.1007/BF02358787
8.
Cross
,
R. H.
,
1967
, “
Tsunami Surge Forces
,”
J. Wtrwy. and Harb. Div.
,
93
, pp.
201
230
.
9.
Ramsden
,
J. E.
,
1996
, “
Forces on a Vertical Wall Due to Long Waves, Bores, and Dry Bed Surges
,”
J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng.
,
122
(
3
), pp.
134
141
.10.1061/(ASCE)0733-950X(1996)122:3(134)
10.
Ramsden
,
J. E.
, and
Raichlen
,
F.
,
1990
, “
Forces on a Vertical Wall Incident Bores
,”
J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng.
,
116
(
5
), pp.
592
613
.10.1061/(ASCE)0733-950X(1990)116:5(592)
11.
Yeh
,
H.
,
2007
, “
Design Tsunami Forces for Onshore Structures
,”
J. Disaster Res.
,
2
(
6
), pp.
1
6
.
12.
Yeh
,
H.
,
Robertson
,
I.
, and
Preuss
,
J.
,
2005
, “
Development of Design Guidelines for Structures That Serve as Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Sites
,”
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
,
Olympia, WA
, Report No. 2005-4.
13.
FEMA
,
2012
, “
Guidelines for Design of Structures for Vertical Evacuation From Tsunamis
,” Report No. P-646.
14.
Asakura
,
R.
,
Iwase
,
K.
,
Ikeya
,
T.
,
Takao
,
M.
,
Kaneto
,
K.
,
Fujii
,
N.
, and
Omori
,
M.
,
2000
, “
An Experimental Study on Wave Force Acting on On-Shore Structures Due to Overflowing Tsunamis
,”
Proc. Coastal Eng.
,
47
, pp.
911
915
(in Japanese).10.2208/proce1989.47.911
15.
Fujima
,
K.
,
Achmad
,
F.
,
Shigihara
,
Y.
, and
Mizutani
,
N.
,
2009
, “
Estimation of Tsunami Force Acting on Rectangular Structures
,”
J. Disaster Res.
,
4
(
6
), pp.
404
409
.
16.
OCADI
,
2009
,
Technical Standards and Commentaries for Port and Harbour Facilities in Japan
,
The Overseas Coastal Area Development Institute of Japan
,
Ports and Harbours Bureau, Tokyo, Japan
.
17.
OSU
,
2007
, “
O. H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory
,”
Oregon State University
, http://wave.oregonstate.edu
18.
Santo
,
J.
, and
Robertson
,
I. N.
,
2010
, “
Lateral Loading on Vertical Structural Elements Due to a Tsunami Bore
,”
University of Hawaii
,
Honolulu
, Report No. UHM/CEE/10-02.
19.
NEEShub
,
2011
, “
Data Repository for NEESR-SG: Development of Performance Based Tsunami Engineering, PBTE
,”
The George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation
, http://nees.org/warehouse/project/664
20.
Mohamed
,
A.
,
2008
, “
Characterization of Tsunami-Like Bores in Support of Loading on Structures
,” M.S. thesis,
University of Hawaii
,
Honolulu, HI
.
21.
Cuomo
,
G.
,
Piscopia
,
R.
, and
Allsop
,
W.
,
2011
, “
Evaluation of Wave Impact Loads on Caisson Breakwaters Based on Joint Probability of Impact Maxima and Rise Times
,”
Coastal Eng.
,
58
(
1
), pp.
9
27
.10.1016/j.coastaleng.2010.08.003
You do not currently have access to this content.