Evaluation of Tsunami wave loads acting onwalls of confined-masonry-brick and concrete-block houses

Damage to confined-masonry-brick or concrete-block house was assessed for being subjected to a tsunami wave load. This study was prompted by recent three tsunamis – one during 2001 on the Near Coast of Peru, one in 2009 in the Samoa Islands, and one in 2010 in Maule, Chile. We analyzed 13 damaged walls from 10 single-storey houses located near the coastline. We focused on evaluating the tsunami wave pressure distribution on house walls. Based on the formula proposed by Asakura et al. (2000) to evaluate tsunami wave pressure distribution on a structural component located on land behind on-shore structures, which is used for designing a tsunami evacuation building, we identify the values of horizontal wave pressure index a in Asakura’s formula for walls and discuss the boundary value of a at which a wall presents structural damage, such as in collapse and cracking failure modes.