NUMERICAL METHOD FOR PREDICTING EFFECTS OF DRIFTING VEHICLES ON INUNDATION DEPTH

Abstract

 Floods in urban areas cause inundation damage. In addition, drifting objects such as vehicles can cause collision damage to buildings and increase the inundation area by damming up the flowing water.

 In this study, a numerical model was developed to predict influences of drifting vehicles on distribution of inundated areas. Computed results obtained under the straight channel condition show that the critical condition of the movement of stationary object can be calculated and that the presence of drifting objects in flowing water causes increases of water depth at the upstream section. It was also shown that the presence of drifting objects in flooded area changes the extent and depth of the inundated area by obstructing the spreading of the inundation flow.