Dear Adarsh,

Despite the fact that we can not prevent tsunamis, there are ways that you can adopt to cope. Protection dikes, placed in deep ocean areas or those simply placed on the beaches, are examples. In the case of the tsunami in Japan, most of these dams were built based on tsunamis from 1896, 1933 or 1960, when the waves reached only 3 meters to 7 meters. According to experts, a tsunami like the one of 2011 would happen once every 1000 years.

The US National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program  promotes seven recommendations to limit the impact of tsunamis on goods and people. These recommendations can be summarized as:

 1. Knowing the risk of tsunami that threatens a region based on the hazard and vulnerability, including the delimitation of areas potentially at risk. The city of Heraklion (Crete) has thus adopted a very detailed plan not only for the exposed areas, but also for the most vulnerable places. To do this, the study fits into a geographic information system of multiple factors relating to the structure of the habitat and the physical environment and socio-economic data.

2. Avoid new construction in areas identified as exposed to the onslaught of tsunamis to minimize losses during future tsunamis. Here, the role of land use and its strict application is of prime importance.

3. Opt for choosing development in areas prone to tsunamis by building some sites (eg elevation).

4. Enforce construction standards for new buildings (resistance to breaking waves, consolidated foundations, etc.) to minimize damage from tsunamis. In Banda Aceh, the work of Boen (2005) show that the buildings built to seismic standards have withstood the tsunami but the other buildings were sprayed during the passage of the wave.

5. Protect tsunami existing buildings and infrastructure in areas exposed via dikes or anti-tsunami walls which certainly are very expensive and unsightly structures but which have proved effective, particularly in certain particularly exposed Japan berries.

6. Take specific precautions necessary for the installation of infrastructure during crises (hospitals, fire brigade, civil protection, etc.).

7.  Prepare evacuation plans. Here, two solutions: first, horizontal evacuation is to retire to the interior on a high point and, secondly, vertical evacuation is that to take refuge upper floors of buildings. This solution is recommended when the horizontal discharge time is very short, when the population density is high and the horizontal drainage means (roads, bridges, etc.) are limited, or where the topography is an island little rugged (the Maldives, for example). In areas where buildings are poorly developed in height, building raised platforms in coastal villages can be considered. This is also a preferred option over the last decade in the Ganges delta in Bangladesh, which is chronically affected by floods and tropical cyclones causing a temporary rise in the level of the sea.

You can also read up on the subject from the following links

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002147/214734e.pdf

http://www.pacificdisaster.net/pdnadmin/data/original/troika_bernard.pdf

http://www.sdr.gov/docs/Tsunami%20Risk%20Reduction%20for%20the%20US%20-%20A%20Framework%20for%20Action%202005-12-22.pdf

With my best regards

Prof. Bachir ACHOUR

Dear Adarsh,

I attach few link which is useful for your research work.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ag127e/ag127e06.htm

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2014/729357/

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002147/214734e.pdf

https://icjonline.com/views/POV_2010-11_Paresh_V_Patel.pdf

All the best

In short Civil Engineers can contribute to tsunami risk reductions at least as follows.

1.       Predicting the tsunami hazard map by simulating probable tsunami event at coastal areas. This hazard map provides valuable data for developing infrastructures that reduce tsunami risk and information for the people to prepare against tsunami. The map may also be used for building an evacuation plan

2.       Designing coastal protection using both civil engineering structures and vegetation

3.       Designing tsunami resilient buildings at the hazard zone.

4.       Designing escape buildings that endure both earthquake and tsunami and capable of accommodating the expected evacuee surrounding it.

5.       Educate people regarding tsunami hazard related to tsunami inundation, force and other possible tsunami related.