3D rigid-fluid method offers more accurate modeling of landslide-induced tsunamis
3D rigid-fluid method offers more accurate modeling of landslide-induced tsunamis lead image
Many coastal communities live in constant fear of tsunamis, which are unpredictable and can strike without warning. Most commonly, these tsunamis are triggered by earthquakes, but they can also be caused by underwater landslides. Landslide-induced tsunamis are more complex, less understood, and potentially more dangerous as a result.
Huang et al. introduced a rigid-fluid method (RFM) to model landslide-induced tsunamis. This advanced 3D model incorporates the movement and rotation of a solid mass to more accurately reproduce its effect on the water.
“While earthquake tsunamis are often classified as shallow-water waves with relatively long wavelengths, landslide-induced tsunamis involve complex, localized disturbances that are harder to model due to the dynamic interaction between the sliding mass and the surrounding fluid,” said author Yi-Xuan Huang.
The team coupled the rigid-fluid method with the Navier-Stokes solver Splash3D to integrate solid and fluid dynamics and simulate both landslide motion and wave generation. This approach outperforms other simulation methods, such as the Boussinesq and Shallow Water equations, thanks to its ability to comprehensively represent 3D flow structures.
The authors tested the validity of their model against experimental data, simulating a sphere entering water and a semi-spherical landslide tsunami. Their tests demonstrated the accuracy of their model.
They hope their work will serve as a tool for disaster response teams and urban planners looking to minimize the risks of tsunamis.
“Our RFM model provides a precise and adaptable framework that can assess the impacts of landslide-triggered tsunamis on vulnerable coastal regions,” said Huang. “The results of this study hold significant potential for improving tsunami risk assessment and response planning, particularly for landslide-induced events.”
Source: “A novel rigid-fluid method for landslide tsunami modeling,” by Yi-Xuan Huang, Tso-Ren Wu, Shun-Kai Hu, Chia-Ren Chu, Chung-Yue Wang, and Chao Zhou, Physics of Fluids (2024). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0235710 .
This paper is part of the Fluid-Structure Interaction Collection, learn more here .
