Lessons from Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge on Bridges and Buildings
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 6
Abstract
The storm surge associated with Hurricane Katrina caused tremendous damage along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Similar damage was observed subsequent to the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. In order to gain a better understanding of the performance of engineered structures subjected to coastal inundation due to tsunami or hurricane storm surge, the writers surveyed damage to bridges, buildings, and other coastal infrastructure subsequent to Hurricane Katrina. Numerous lessons were learned from analysis of the observed damage, and these are reported herein. A number of structures experienced significant structural damage due to storm surge and wave action. Structural members submerged during the inundation were subjected to significant hydrostatic uplift forces due to buoyancy, enhanced by trapped air pockets, and to hydrodynamic uplift forces due to wave action. Any floating or mobile object in the nearshore/onshore areas can become floating debris, affecting structures in two ways: impact and water damming. Foundation soils and foundation systems are at risk from shear- and liquefaction-induced scour, unless designed appropriately.
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Acknowledgments
Two reconnaissance trips were made by the writers to the Mississippi coastline at the end of September and early November 2005. The writers wish to thank Brian Drake and his colleagues at Keesler Air Force Base for their assistance with on-base accommodations during both trips. Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under a Small Grant for Exploratory Research (Grant No. #0553966) and through the NSF George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (Grant No. #0530759). This funding is gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 6 • November 2007
Pages: 463 - 483
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 14, 2006
Accepted: Jan 25, 2007
Published online: Nov 1, 2007
Published in print: Nov 2007
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