QUASI-3D SIMULATION OF TSUNAMI INUNDATION IN CITY SCALE MODEL

Abstract

 The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami showed complex behavior especially in urban areas. To minimize casualties and damage from future events, simulations that can understand the local behavior are required. This study examines a series of numerical simulations by quasi-3D model and 2D model to estimate characteristics of surface elevation and velocity of tsunami in a real city condition. The quasi-3D model agreed well with the experiment on the strait street from shorelines, but it differed with the experimental data at the points behind buildings. The 2D simulation tended to be smaller in comparison with the quasi-3D model because 2D model allows friction to be vertically uniform. There can be large differences of the inundation area between the 2D and quasi-3D models.