| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/D002699/1 |
| Title: |
Using eyewitness reports to assess tsunami impacts on buildings and infrastructure - a study following the 26.12.04 South Asian Tsunami |
| Principal Investigator: |
Spence, Professor R |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Architecture |
| Organisation: |
University of Cambridge |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
07 March 2005 |
Ends: |
06 September 2005 |
Value (£): |
20,273
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Construction Ops & Management |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The South Asia Tsunami disaster of 26.12.04 is an event from which it will be vital for engineers to learn lessons to guide for future development on tsanami-prone coasts in South Asia as well as elsewhere. However, the huge scale (more than 20,000km of coastline affected in 12 or more separate countries) will create considerable difficulties in assembling impact and damage data in the field. An EEFIT mission is in the field at the time of writing this proposal, and it is expected that it will visit several of the worst affected parts of Sri Lanka, Thailand, arriving about 3 weeks after the event. Such a mission has the potential to view damage directly, and obtain reports from some of those who experienced the damage first-hand. It will be one of a number of such international missions. It has been clear since the first days after the disaster that many of the survivors were UK tourists, and that the reports and photographs of these survivors contain a direct, vivid and in many respects unique record of the impact of a tsunami in a human settlement distinct from, and complementary to, that obtained from a reconnaissance mission. Aspects of the event on which it is anticipated that data may be obtainable by means of eyewitness reports includes:1. Descriptive accounts of the height, time sequence, succession of peaks and troughs of the incoming wave.2. The speed and extent of wave run-up on land.3. The extent and types of debris accumulation in the flow4. Maximum depths of inundation5. Physical damage to structures and likely cause6. Possibilities for distinguishing between earthquake shaking damage and tsunami damage7. Differences between damage and effects of incoming and retreating waves 8. The presence of tsunami-related non-water hazards such as live wires in the water, or chemical contaminants including oil and petrol9. Nature and extent of injury to survivors10. Causes and circumstances of fatalities (e.g. drowning compared to physical trauma)11. Aspects of human behaviour in response to the tsunami impact12. Evidence of observable precursory natural environment warnings such as ground shaking and sea retreat13. Evidence of observable precursory human warnings. The work will be conducted in 7 steps as followsTask 1: Identify potential respondents and make contactTask 2: Select limited area for concentrated studyTask 3: Acquire cross-correlating data from other sourcesTask 4: Draw up interview planTask 5: Conduct interviews Task 6: Assemble data and conduct preliminary analysisTask 7: Draw up plan for further studies
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.cam.ac.uk |