Field data analysis and literature review

To explore failure mechanisms of coastal structures and buildings, the various damage mechanisms (i.e., failure modes) such as the collapse of buildings, the impact of debris on buildings, the complete sliding of structures, and scour of the subsoil will be investigated using the available data from the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. A catalog of failure modes will be drafted, and a literature review of existing knowledge on these failure modes will be done.

The outcome will be a matrix where different types of structures and buildings, including surrounding ground conditions, are listed against potential failure modes and a list of available models and techniques to design for any of these combinations. This will help identify knowledge gaps that need to be filled.

Besides these aspects of structural vulnerability, socio-economic and ecological factors also lead to tsunami impacts and will be explored in detail. Hence, statistical data, geo-data, and investigations conducted in the affected coastal communities after the event will be collected and analyzed.