HAZUS Coastal Surge Model

The recent Building Science Newsletter from NIBS provides some insight into the developing HAZUS Coastal Surge Model.

The HAZUS hurricane wind field model will be coupled with SWAN, an ocean and near shore wave model, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) SLOSH model. The HAZUS-MH wind-only and flood-only loss estimates will be combined into an overall estimate of combined coastal wind and flood losses for a single hurricane event while avoiding double counting of damages.

Work remains on the Coastal Surge Model for overland waves, flood-only damage functions in V zones, and damage/loss matrices for building classes other than residential. Data from either Hurricane Ivan or Hurricane Gustav will be used to create a spreadsheet of prototype Coastal Surge Model loss results that will be validated with actual losses to be obtained from FEMA. It is anticipated that the Coastal Surge Model will be incorporated into HAZUS-MH MR6, tentatively scheduled to be released in late winter 2011.

SOURCE