Author(s): Nandhini Duraimurugan; Harish Selvam; Holger Schuttrumpf; V. Sriram; Sundar Vallam

Linked Author(s): Nandhini Duraimurugan

Keywords: Tsunami; Micro-roughness elements; Numerical simulation; Force reduction; Blockage ratio

Abstract: Tsunamis pose severe threats to coastal infrastructure, demanding effective mitigation strategies. Micro-roughness elements, also known as buffer blocks, can offer a promising, cost-effective alternative to massive construction for flow energy reduction. Optimizing their placement is essential for improving coastal resilience. The present study aims to numerically evaluate the influence of these buffer blocks in tsunami force reduction on coastal buildings by varying the blockage ratio. In this study, the blockage ratio varied between 50% and 70% by altering the spacing between the blocks in a row. The numerical simulation was carried out using the open-source CFD solver OpenFOAM. The results highlighted that the higher the blockage ratio and lower the flow depth to buffer block height ratio (R), the greater the force reduction. Furthermore, the blockage ratio played a phenomenal role at low R values. The study outcomes are expected to identify the optimum blockage limits to enhance the performance of buffer blocks during tsunamis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/978-90-835589-7-4_41WC-P1830-cd

Year: 2025