Surge and Flooding in Coastal Areas Due to Natural Hazards, Sediment Transport and Structural Damage

Speaker:
James M. Kaihatu, Ph. D., Professor,
Environmental, Water Resources and Coastal Engineering Division
Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Virtually all coastal areas are vulnerable to natural hazards (hurricanes and tsunamis in particular), but the exact vulnerability is quite dependent on the local characteristics of the area. Industrial regions like those surrounding the Port of Houston and the Houston Ship Channel would be vulnerable to local flooding and any corresponding release and distribution of industrial contaminants, while coastal residential areas would be more subject to surge and structural damage. While the same core system of modeling tools can be used to address this wide range of issues, there are differences in the application and use of the results. In this presentation we discuss a broad range of projects that address particular aspects of surge inundation, flooding, sediment / contaminant transport, and structural damage. The Delft3D-FLOW model is at the core of the modeling work, with other models providing both inland flooding information (SWAT) or time-varying structural forcing (FUNWAVE). Context for some of these applications will be provided via information from some post-disaster surveys. We will also discuss the possible roles of local geography as a means for either reducing or amplifying the impact of natural hazards on a community.