RAPID: Impact of Debris Generated from the 11 March 2011 Tohoku, Japan Tsunami

Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this grant for rapid response research (RAPID) is to assess the type of debris generated by tsunami events and quantify the resulting impact damage to structures. To achieve this objective, a field investigation of the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan, inundated by the 11 March 2011 Tohoku tsunami, will be conducted by a team of researchers from Lehigh University, Oregon State University, University of Hawaii, and Japan's Nagoya University. The research team will acquire field data on tsunami generated debris, document cases of impact on structures in Japan, and use this field data to validate results of an ongoing experimental and analytical NSF-supported research project on tsunami generated debris impact. The research will assess the type and size of debris demands typical for coastal communities, assess structural damage patterns generated as a result of impact events, and validate models developed as part of the ongoing NSF-supported study. This research team will also coordinate with the UNESCO-led International Tsunami Survey Team. The knowledge gained from the proposed research will be used for enhancement of U.S. infrastructure code recommendations and design practice for coastal communities where the threat of a tsunami event exists. Identification of debris type is critical for determination of potential design loads. Video footage and post-event images indicate that the Tohoku event generated a spectrum of debris ranging from wood, vehicles, and shipping containers, to entire houses and ships. Assessment of what size and type of debris is likely in a given region is critical for the development of design recommendations. In addition, the occurrence of impact events may not be associated with all types of debris, and some structural systems may be more sensitive to a type of impact demand. These issues will be quantified with the field studies conducted in Japan.