Next big wave

A new tsunami impact model developed by The University of Queensland will help emergency response teams plan what to do if the next big wave hits.

The mathematical model, developed by Dr. Tom Baldock, PhD student Paul Guard and Associate Professor Peter Nielsen from UQ's Coastal Engineering Group, can predict the initial run-up and impact as the leading waves hit the coast.

On the eve of the anniversary of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that devastated parts of south and east Asia, the model represents a significant leap forward from classical tsunami impact research that is based on non-breaking waves (those that are offshore - they break as they steepen up in shallow water).

By watching videos of the Boxing Day tsunami, the researchers realised that conventional non-breaking wave models were not suitable for describing the leading breaking waves.

Baldock said the new research was able to calculate the motion of the leading edge of the breaking wave run-up on dry land, together with the flow depth and flow velocities in the inland region during the inundation or water coverage.