Damage Curves Derived from Hurricane Ike in the West of Galveston Bay Based on Insurance Claims and Hydrodynamic Simulations

Hurricane Ike, which struck the United States in September 2008, was the ninth most expensive hurricane in terms of damages. It caused nearly USD 30 billion in damage after making landfall on the Bolivar Peninsula, Texas. We used the Delft3d-FM/SWAN hydrodynamic and spectral wave model to simulate the storm surge inundation around Galveston...

Late-stage diversion risk assessment for high dams considering early initial impoundment: a case study of Lianghekou Station, China

Early initial impoundment can generate additional revenue but bring more flood risk in late-stage construction diversion. In view of the possible flood risk and catastrophic consequences caused by high dam failures induced by early impoundment, a comprehensive assessment is proposed. Taking the Lianghekou high rockfill dam on the Yalong River...

Impact of hydraulic model resolution and loss of life model modification on flood fatality risk estimation: Case study of the Bommelerwaard, The Netherlands

Flood simulations are important for flood (fatality) risk assessment. This article provides insight into the sensitivity of flood fatality risks to the model resolution of flood simulations and to several uncertain parameters in the loss of life model used. A case study is conducted for river flooding in a polder in the Netherlands (the...

Flood Risks in Sinking Delta Cities: Time for a Reevaluation?

Sea level rise (SLR) and subsidence are expected to increase the risk of flooding and reliance on flood defenses for cities built on deltas. Here, we combine reliability analysis with hydrodynamic modeling to quantify the effect of projected relative SLR on dike failures and flood hazards for Shanghai, one of the most exposed delta cities. We...

Ecological risk assessment for eutrophication and heavy metal pollution of Suyahu Reservoir sediments

Focusing on the sediment in Suyahu Reservoir (a typical plain reservoir in Henan Province, China), concentrations of eutrophication-causing substances (TOC, TN and TP) and heavy metal contamination (Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, As and Hg) were measured. Spatial distribution of these contaminants and the resulting potential ecological risk were...

Interdisciplinary Design of Vital Infrastructure to Reduce Flood Risk in Tokyo’s Edogawa Ward

Engineering for flood resilience of dense coastal regions often neglects the resultant impact on urban design quality. Vital subsurface infrastructure such as hydraulic systems, water networks, civil construction, transport, energy supply and soil systems are especially important in shaping the urban environment and integrating resilience....

An interdisciplinary approach to urban reconstruction after the 2011 Tsunami

Students of hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering, transport infrastructure, urban drainage engineering and urbanism studied the recovery of the city of Yuriage using the goal integration method. Much can be learned from the bold approach of the Japanese to disaster reconstruction and fighting shrinkage in regional spatial planning.

Frequency Analysis of Storm-Surge-Induced Flooding for the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China

Shanghai, as a coastal city, is vulnerable to various types of flooding. The floodwalls along the Huangpu River provide protection against typhoon-induced flooding. However, there is limited insight into the actual safety level of the flood defences in Shanghai, and recent failures have highlighted their vulnerability. Therefore, the aims of...