Research focuses on hydrodynamic simulations and development of probabilistic methods for (1) characterization of hurricane storm surge and tsunami hazards, (2) modeling of these hazards’ effects on coastal infrastructure, and (3) development of design guides/standards and emergency preparedness measures to enhance resilience of coastal communities exposed to hurricanes and tsunamis. Accurate characterization, accounting for local topography, and future sea level rise of (1) hurricane wind, current velocity, waves, and storm surge; (2) tsunamis; and (3) inundation due to hurricanes and tsunamis are critical for developing improved structural design criteria and emergency preparedness measures. Opportunities exist for (1) development of an integrated approach, based on existing stochastic hurricane and earthquake databases, to the simulation of coastal inundation due to hurricane and tsunamis; (2) quantification of these hazards and development of associated risk-consistent structural design criteria for coastal infrastructure; and (3) development of infrastructure performance requirements to achieve significantly enhanced disaster resilience of the built environment in coastal communities.

References

Phan LT, et al: “Methodology for Development of Design Criteria for Joint Hurricane Wind Speed and Storm Surge Events: Proof of Concept.” NIST TN 1482, National Institute of Standards and Technology, April 2007

Phan LT, Slinn DN, Kline S: “Wave Effects on Hurricane Storm Surge Simulation.” ATC-SEI Advances in Hurricane Engineering Conference, October 23-26, 2012, Miami, Florida; JW Marriott Marquis Miami

Phan LT, Simiu E: “Estimation of risk for design of structures exposed to combined effects of hurricane wind speed and storm surge hazards.” ICASP11, Applications of Statistics and Probability in Civil Engineering, Faber, Köhler, and Nishijima (eds); Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-66986-3, August 2011