Session: 12-04-02 Coastal Hazards - Tsunamis and Storm Surges II

Paper Number: 130193

130193 - Experimental Investigation of the Buffer Blocks on the Extreme Flows Generated Using Dam-Break Mechanism 

The term extreme oceanic events are commonly used to describe high-impact, unanticipated natural events, like tsunamis, and storm surges. The flows resulting from these events will create devastating social, environmental, and economic consequences. Extreme events are expected to become more frequent, long lasting than usual, and more intense in the 21st century as a result of human-induced climate change. The earthquake-triggered tsunami in 2004 awakened the importance of the protective measures along the coast in most of the countries. Moreover, this paved a way for many researchers to investigate the appropriate coastal defensive mechanism to ensure the safety of the coastal communities.

At the time of the event, evacuating people from the coast and the process to delay the inundation must harmonize. Each event is unique with their respective levels of destruction. The massive structural and non-structural elements are compatible for vulnerable coastal regions which eventually trims the conveyance to the shore. In the remaining regions, the mode of implementing protective systems to limit the consequences of such a coastal hazard should be cost-effective.

 

This study focusses on the buffer block characteristics in dissipating the extreme flows for the less vulnerable regions without hindering the coastal perspective. The extreme flows are generated using dam-break mechanism in a large-scale experimental flume. The dimensions of the experimental flume are 31m x 2.7m x 2m with 14.43m reservoir length. At an instant of time, the two pneumatic pistons are released and the gate opens in the radial direction. The sudden flow in to the flume replicates the dry bed surges due to an extreme event. The buffer blocks are positioned at 10m from the gate which acts as the coastal defensive elements thus attenuating the flow properties. Initially, single row of buffer blocks is investigated in detail. The downstream flow properties such as flow depth, flow velocity, and momentum flux are analysed for various reservoir water depths and the results will be summarised.

Presenting Author: V Sriram Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Presenting Author Biography: Prof. Sriram completed his Ph.D., at the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras. He had an industrial experience at HRWallingford, UK. Later, he carried out Post-Doctoral fellowship through the Newton International fellowship with City University London as host and prestigious Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship, Germany, with Franzius Institute (Presently, LuFi, LuH) as host. He is also the recipient of the RJ Garde Research award from Indian Society of Hydraulics, Pune; Young Faculty Recognition Award, 2018 from IIT Madras; ISOPE Conference-best session organiser award, 2020 and DFG Mercator Professorship, 2023.
His research areas includes numerical model developments (such as Particle method, FVM, FEM for wave structure interactions) and application of the model to a wide variety of problems such as ship simulations, offshore structures and coastal engineering applications. Apart from numerical models, he is also working to develop the experimental facilities and generation of waves, current mechanism, and active absorption techniques.

Authors:

V P Golda Percy Indian Institute of Technology Madras
V Sriram Indian Institute of Technology Madras
V Sundar Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Holger Schüttrumpf Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water resources management