Sensitivity Study of Hydrodynamic Parameters During Numerical Simulations of Tsunami Inundation

This paper describes the analysis of a parameter, “hydrodynamic demand,” which can be used to represent the potential for tsunami drag force related damage to structures along coastlines. It is derived from the ratio of drag force to hydrostatic force caused by a tsunami on the structure. It varies according to the instantaneous values of the current velocities and flow depths during a tsunami inundation. To examine the effects of a tsunami in the present study, the analyses were performed using the tsunami numerical model in two altered regular-shaped basins having different bottom slopes. The simulations were implemented using a single sinusoidal wave with particular initial conditions, such as leading elevation wave and leading depression wave profiles with different wave periods. Two different initial wave amplitudes were employed to assess the diversity in the distribution of the square of the Froude number Fr 2 along the coastline. The numerical results were compared quantitatively.