Probabilistic investigation of debris impact velocities during extreme flooding events

Abstract

Forensic engineering surveys of extreme flooding events, such as the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami and the 2012 Hurricane Katrina, demonstrated the importance of debris in estimating loading on structures. Debris are any solid objects entrained within the inundating flow. The resulting loads from these objects can be the result of debris damming, where debris accumulate at the front face of a structure, or of individual debris impact, where the debris exerts an impulse load as the it rapidly impacts the structure.