Research and Consulting

Topics of Interest

  • Tsunami effects in ports and harbors

Understanding the effect of tsunamis in ports and harbors extremely important for both public safety and economic reasons.  I have worked on a number of projects looking at the effects of tsunamis in ports, harbors and other maritime facilities.  This has included determining which portions of Pacific subduction zones will have the largest impact on California ports as well as quantifying the magnitude of tsunami induced currents and water levels at marine oil terminals (MOTs) in San Francisco Bay.

  • Tsunami inundation modeling and hazard assessments

I have spent many years studying tsunami hazards and conducting numerical modeling studies of tsunami inundation.  Most of my work has been focused on Southern California, particularly on the creation of tsunami inundation maps for emergency management and evacuation planning.  I worked closely with the team at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) and the California Geological Survey (CGS) to develop a methodology for the production of these maps.

  • Design and construction of submerged reefs for coastal protection and recreational amenity

I have participated in numerous research and consulting projects aimed at quantifying the efficacy of submerged reefs and breakwaters for coastal protection.  This has included a number of numerical model sensitivity studies, physical laboratory experiments, stability analyses and investigations in to alternative construction methodologies.

I also work on:

  • Harbour and Estuary Hydrodynamics

I am currently part of a team investigating the hydrodynamics of the Whaingaroa (Raglan) Harbour in New Zealand.

  • Post Tsunami Field Surveys

Gathering tsunami inundation and run-up data after a tsunami event is a vital part of understanding the source mechanism, whether it be an earthquake or landslide or some other phenomenon.  Below is a list of tsunami field surveys which I have either led or been a participant.

–El Salvador tsunami, September 2012
-The March 11, 2011 Honshu Earthquake and Tsunami
-Mentawai Islands, Indonesia, November 2010
-Samoa, October 2009
-Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia, September 2007
-Nias/Simelue/Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, April 2005
-Somalia, March 2005
–Banda Aceh, Sumatra, January 2005
–Wewak, Papua New Guinea, September 2002
–Camana, Peru, June 2001
–Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, September 1999
–Izmit Bay, Turkey, August 1999
–Aitape, Papua New Guinea, August 1998
–Biak Island, Irian Jaya, Indonesia, February 1996
–Manzanillo, Mexico, October 1995