Science Nation: Engineers Re-Create Tsunami Debris Impacts to Measure Their Force

City with closely placed buildings almost entirely destroyed, very few still standing. Caption: new design standards and building codes.

In a tsunami, devastation is created by far more than the wave itself. Debris that hits homes and other structures plays a huge role in a tsunami’s destructive power. But until now, engineers could only estimate the forces at work when debris, such as a floating telephone pole, hits a house. With support from the National Science Foundation, engineers from across the country have teamed up to design and carry out a series of large-scale tests aimed at better understanding exactly what happens when debris strikes. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”

(Source: DCMP)

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  • Science Nation: Engineers Re-Create Tsunami Debris Impacts to Measure Their Force

    Type:
    Video
    Format:
    Streaming
    Accommodations:
    English Audio Descriptions - Visual, English Captions - Auditory
    Languages:
    English
    License:
    OER
    Author:
    National Science Foundation
    Length:
    3 minutes