Engineers’ goal is tsunami-resistant buildings

[diablo234]

Because of the recent tsunami in Japan, I thought I would post this because it could possibly change the way buildings are designed in coastal regions.

Engineers’ goal is tsunami-resistant buildings

RENATA D’ALIESIO
From Monday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Mar. 14, 2011 12:41AM EDT
Last updated Monday, Mar. 14, 2011 1:21AM EDT

Buildings can be created to withstand the most powerful earthquakes, but designers remain largely powerless in thwarting the destructive forces of a tsunami, such as the one that slammed Japan’s northeast coast Friday. A group of engineers hopes to change that.

University of Ottawa associate professor Ioan Nistor, who specializes in coastal engineering, is part of a new committee with the American Society of Civil Engineers that will examine how to create tsunami-resistant buildings. The group begins its work in July.

For more of the article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1940635/

[Rizzo]

It's going to be very difficult to engineer. And even if you develop the building technology, it would likely be astronomical in cost. You are talking about buildings withstanding the force of dozens of other buildings and debris being pushed against it. It's far different than engineering against an Earthquake where you can easily calculate known forces at play, and develop a safe and cost effective solution. But is anyone calculating the forces against the tens of thousands buildings damaged in the tsunami that can inform the research and design?

It seems to me the approach should be prevent any loss of life and property by stopping the wave right at the coast.

I'm definitely not saying building tsunami resistant buildings is impossible, but we need a "now solution" that doesn't involve a decade of development, and even more decades of implementation and construction of new structures.

[You Need A Thneed]

Building Tsunami resistant buildings isn't anything beyond what can be done currently. If you look at the before and after pictures of Japan, you can basically see which buildings are Tsunami resistant. I'm not sure what it really matters, because in cases like the one in Japan, it's not really going to matter if your building is standing in the end anyway - really, that's the least of your worries.

Building to withstand 95% of disasters is always being done. Building to prevent that other 5% ( perhaps 1%) makes costs astronomical.

[Biff]

That is kind of funny. How do you engineer a building 3 miles inland to withstand the blow from a container ship that is riding a wave of debris.

[Roadcruiser1]

How about if the house is a half sphere like an igloo. I remember reading the waves could travel around the building thus protecting the buildings imminent destruction. Also since tsunamis can submerge smaller buildings we can build them to be waterproof so when the waves come in the building would be dry, but the building would have to have an emergency supply of air which would last 10 minutes. It would kind of be a submarine on land. Would it work I don't know.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

Building Tsunami resistant buildings isn't anything beyond what can be done currently. If you look at the before and after pictures of Japan, you can basically see which buildings are Tsunami resistant. I'm not sure what it really matters, because in cases like the one in Japan, it's not really going to matter if your building is standing in the end anyway - really, that's the least of your worries.

Building to withstand 95% of disasters is always being done. Building to prevent that other 5% ( perhaps 1%) makes costs astronomical.

Yes It's pretty easy to see. The HEAVIEST and TALLEST. But your trade-off to lightweight woodframe which can withstand some pretty intense quakes is building heavy, cast in place reinforced concrete. Costs skyrocket. Even then, we can't expect everyone to build 50' tall single family homes. Alot of what was ripped up and carried away were buildings with only a few families. Some of those homes with concrete bases still failed to survive the waves due to forces of debris piling up.

[tallboy66]

Resistant? maybe, but lets say a 23 foot wall of water slams into your building without debris (math nerds jump in here) one gallon weighs 8 pounds or so, get it moving at 5 mph then combine the fact a Tsunami wave goes from the bottom of the ocean floor to the top and the wave essentially rises out of the water while still moving at the same rate of speed, (carry the one divide by x then...) basiclly = you're are F**k'd

If the idea is too just survive the hit without the building collapsing, maybe but then what? A city of millions of people can't all have resistant structures like that.

http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleID=545

[Rizzo]

From what I noticed, places that fared off a little better were ones with those huge concrete tsunami barriers. The water still got over the top, but buildings close the harbor were still standing. They were only badly flooded. I'd suggest elevating the houses up high to let flood waters beneath, but at least the forces of the tsunami will be stopped at the breakwater.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by Biff

That is kind of funny. How do you engineer a building 3 miles inland to withstand the blow from a container ship that is riding a wave of debris.

Exactly. Or, something really pointy just jams through the structure in the wrong spot. There's the concept of a building which can withstand a certain force which is reasonable, but completely bulletproof? I say doubtful.

[Alpha]

You would need a construction similiar to that used for protecting bridge towers against ship collisions and a window-free basement. And of course a good foundation.
Surely sensitive for protecting single buildings and other structures on a field. For settlements a dam is the only architectonical sensitive solution.

[LVND_W2NX]

Has that been the right technique on buildings recently or has that not recently been done in the right way?