Texas researchers are testing the tool in Galveston, where Hurricane Ike caused billions in damage in 2008.
Researchers in Texas are testing out 3D modeling technology to predict potential hurricane damage and assess the effectiveness of proposed mitigation measures, reports Alyson Chapman in Route Fifty. The team used residential buildings to map out potential flood risk and understand the potential impacts of a flood mitigation project, the ‘Ike Dike,’ designed to shield Galveston from future storms.
An advantage of 3D visualization over other damage modeling methods is that it allows researchers to model specific buildings, accounting for basements, back entrances, and windows. By identifying a residential building’s first-floor elevation level, researchers can predict the physical and financial damage that a hurricane will cause to the specific building.
Expanding the tool to commercial and public buildings can help local officials develop hurricane preparedness plans. Additionally, “As real-time weather forecasts are implemented into the models, researchers may be able to determine when evacuation is necessary and use this data to alert residents.”
FULL STORY: 3D visualization predicts hurricane damage before it happens
Texas Flood Plan Shows One in Six Residents Live With Flood Risk
One-fourth of the state’s land falls within 100-year or 500-year floodplains.
New York Flood Control Plan Takes Lessons From the Dutch
The Netherlands has a long history of flood mitigation. U.S. cities, threatened by coastal flooding and erosion, are taking note.
East River Floodgates Rising in NYC
A tour of new infrastructure designed to protect the city’s East Side from catastrophic flooding.
New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power
The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.
New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing
Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.
Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths
Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.
City of Madera
City of Santa Clarita
Borough of Carlisle
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Colorado Energy Office
Pima County Community College District
City of Piedmont, CA
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