Semester of Graduation

Summer 2021

Degree

Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Emergency managers rely on a variety on models and outputs, such as Hazards United States Multi- Hazard (Hazus-MH) and the Coastal Emergency Risk Assessment (CERA) visualization tool, to make decisions in the days leading up to and following hurricane events. This study focuses on using Hurricane Isaac (2012) and Hurricane Laura (2020).ASGS-CERA geoTIFFs, created from generated ADCIRC Prediction System data, in the Hazus-MH Flood Model to test using these two tools together in urban and rural areas. These ASGS-CERA integrated Hazus-MH studies were compared with Hazus-MH studies using the standard Hazus-MH surge methodology. They were tested for accuracy in both surge predictions and consequence estimates. Water depths from both hurricanes using ASGS-CERA surge estimates differed from the Hazus-MH surge by an average of 2 feet with much larger differences in protected areas. The largest differences in consequence estimates were found in areas where the extent of the ASGS-CERA geoTIFF differed from the Hazus-MH predicted surge. The results show that the Hazus-MH surge methodology erroneously predicts flooding in protected areas causing large overpredictions in the consequence estimates. The ASGS-CERA geoTIFF produced surge levels and extents closer to event observations that resulted in consequence estimates that more closely matched reported event losses.

Committee Chair

Clinton Willson

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.5367

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