Geo-Risks in the Mediterranean and their Mitigation
Abstract
At source, tsunami waves have relatively small wave heights (typically 0.5-2m), but very
long wavelengths. As these waves approaches the shoreline and enter the shallower waters, their
wavelength reduces and their wave height increases dramatically. The resulting waves can cause
violent impacts on infrastructure and structures, and the long wavelengths lead to extensive
inundation inland causing destruction over large areas of coast as seen recently in Japan (2011).
Clearly there is a need for a systematic analysis of the physics of tsunami flows in and around
buildings and the forces and pressures they produce on structures as a function of time. The first steps
towards such a study are presented. This paper presents preliminary observations obtained from sets
of unique physical experiments designed to study the impact of tsunami-like waves on coastal
structures towards the development of tsunami design/assessment guidance