150 feet

Shoreline

Continental Shelf

Shallow SlopeLong Run-Up

Steep SlopeLess Run-Up

protected area

PRINCIPLES & FORM

NATURAL PRINCIPLES-FLOW & DRAG

LIMITED FUNCTIONABILITY:SUPER LEEVES

•Mangrovesprovide natural tsunami defense. the leaves, branches, trunk and roots all cause draG in the water makinG the wave slow and die down.

sendai

•the super levees in Japan are effective but only to an extent. they can only be placed in certain areas and cannot be built hiGh enouGh to be 100% failsafe.

•we looked at the history of where tsunamis tend to happen. theplacesthathaverepeatedlybeenaffectedare often heavily populated, and have a hiGh proJected population Growth over the next fifty years. we chose Japan(Morespecificallysendai)asoursiteduetotheirtsunaMihistoryandrecentevents.

POPULATION & NATURAL OCCURRENCES

•tsunami waves occur as a result of seismic activity alonG subduction zones. the wave extends the full depth of the ocean actinG like a typical shallow-water wave. a wavetensofMeters hiGh is produced as the wave interacts with the continental shelf. it is compressed, slows down and builds heiGht.

A TUSNAMI WAVE•the measlant barrier is swunG into place when water surGes are

expected. it has a unique bowed shape which isv incorporated into the final desiGn.

E.t.a.s. EXPANDABLE TSUNAMI ABSORPTION SYSTEM 3d natural systems desiGn competition 2011

12 miles

DESIGN CONCEPT STATEMENT

Our primary gOal was tO take an existing sOlutiOn tO cOntrOlling natural fOrces by examining hOw these cOntrOl devices failed and then shOw hOw these devices cOuld be imprOved upOn. Our design fOr Japan uses the prOperties Of flOw and drag fOund in mangrOve systems tO cOntrOl tsunami impact. Our design is meant tO benefit highly pOpulated pacific rim cOuntries such as Japan. the parachute fOrm fOr these units has been derived frOm their functiOnal need tO dissipate the fOrce Of tidal waves sOurced frOm a tsunami. utilizing attributes Of perfOratiOn and drag, the cOncept Of an anchOred buffering device was develOped tO allOw flOw while maintaining the structural stability Of the unit.

in the event Of a tsunami, the e.t.a.s is activated. during deplOyment, the surface area expands sO that it may dampen the impact fOrces Of the incOming wave. the ‘parachute’ mOdules sit On the bOttOm Of the Ocean flOOr in their cOllapsed fOrm. after an earthquake hits and the water reseeds the units becOme expOsed. the water then surges back hitting the device and causes it tO activate at water travels thrOugh.

the unit is cOmprised Of fOur maJOr cOmpOnents; anchOr, cables, cOllapsible cage, and series Of fabric tubes. the water traveling thrOugh the tubes expands the device while causing drag at the same time. Once the wave is dampened and lOses energy it cOntinues tO dissipate until dying cOmpletely. tying it dOwn with cables allOws a certain amOunt Of mObility enabling the water tO mOve the units tO where the current is strOngest.

E.t.a.s. EXPANDABLE TSUNAMI ABSORPTION SYSTEM 3d natural systems design cOmpetitiOn 2011

STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK:•each unit is cOmprised Of a fOlding cage that expands when

met with the fOrce Of a tidal wave. its hinges pivOt tO allOw cOmpressiOn and expansiOn Of the frame.

•the system remains in a neutral state until an earthquake Occurs (1). after the event, the Ocean recedes in advance Of the apprOaching tsunami wave (2). the fOrce Of the incOming wave expands the apparatus, impOsing drag fOrce On the wave. the height and energy Of the wave are reduced due tO turbulent flOw (3).

E.T.A.S. DEPLOYMENT

BUFFERING TUBES:•a fabric tube system is cOnnected tO the cage, allOwing water tO flOw

thrOugh its funneled fOrmwOrk and dissipate the tidal wave energy.