Tsunami concerns have increased in the world after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. Consequently, tsunami models have been developed rapidly in the last few years. One of the advanced tsunami models is the GeoClaw tsunami model introduced by LeVeque (2011). This model is adaptive and consistent. Because of different sources of uncertainties in the model, observations are needed to improve model prediction through a data assimilation framework. Model inputs are earthquake parameters and topography. This thesis introduces a real-time tsunami forecasting method that combines tsunami model with observations using a hybrid ensemble Kalman filter and ensemble Kalman smoother. The filter is used for state prediction while the smoother operates smoothing to estimate the earthquake parameters. This method reduces the error produced by uncertain inputs. In addition, state-parameter EnKF is implemented to estimate earthquake parameters. Although number of observations is small, estimated parameters generates a better tsunami prediction than the model. Methods and results of prediction experiments in the Red Sea are presented and the prospect of developing an operational tsunami prediction system in the Red Sea is discussed.

This dissertation contains investigations of radiated seismic energy measurements from large earthquakes and duration determinations as significant properties of the dynamic earthquake rupture and its applications in the identification of very large and slow source rupturing earthquakes. This includes a description of earthquake released seismic energy from 1997 to 2010 and identification of slow source tsunami earthquakes in that time period. The implementation of these measurements in real-time since the beginning of 2009, with a case study of the Mentawai 2010 tsunami earthquake are also discussed. Further studies of rupture duration assessments and its technical improvements for more rapid and robust solutions are investigated as well, with application to the Tohoku-Oki 2011 earthquake an a case of directivity in the 2007 Mw 8.1 Solomon islands earthquake. Finally, the set of routines and programs developed for implementation at Georgia Tech and IRIS to produce the real-time results since 2009 presented in this study are described.

Cette thèse résume une démarche intégrée visant à évaluer l’exposition humaine et ses variations spatio-temporelles en cas de tsunami dans une zone urbaine littorale en Indonésie, ainsi que la capacité d’évacuation vers des refuges. Ce travail de recherche systématise des méthodes permettant d’estimer la quantité de population présente heure par heure durant n’importe quel jour de la semaine et de l’année, à une échelle très fine, dans une zone urbaine. Il se fonde pour cela sur une hypothèse de rythme de vie contrôlant les activités et donc la distribution de la population. L’heure d’arrivée d’un tsunami étant imprévisible, ces informations sont très importantes pour améliorer les programmes de réduction du risque. Cette démarche permet ainsi de dégager des scénarios types de distribution de la population, utilisés pour ensuite évaluer la capacité d’évacuation de ces populations. Le modèle de simulation dynamique issu de cette recherche permet de mesurer l’accessibilité des zones selon certains scénarios, et de proposer des améliorations pour une meilleure préparation de la protection des civils. / This dissertation summarizes an integrated approach whose aim is to assess the human exposure and its spatial and temporal variations in the event of a tsunami in a costal urban zone of Indonesia, as well as the capacity to join evacuation shelters for populations under threat. This research systematizes methods to estimate the amount of people present hour by hour during any day of the week and the year, at a very fine scale, in an urban area. It uses a hypothesis about a common rhythm of life which controls the activities and therefore the distribution of the Padang inhabitants. Considering that time of a tsunami occurrence is impossible to estimate, this information is very important to improve risk reduction programs. This approach allows in particular identifying various types of scenarios for the distribution of the population that can then be used to evaluate the evacuation capacity of these populations. A dynamic simulation model resulting from this research allows for the measurement of the accessibility of shelters following these scenarios. The analysis of the results suggests improvements for a better preparation on the part of authorities to protect civilians.

Des événements géologiques passés ont montré que les glissements de terrain, près des côtes, impliquant des volumes de quelques milliers de mètre cube à plusieurs centaines de kilomètres cube, peuvent provoquer des vagues de tsunami d’une amplitude considérable. La vague générée et l’effondrement représentent tous deux un danger important pour la population et les infrastructures situées sur ou proche des côtes. Une modélisation réaliste nécessite de tenir compte de la nature granulaire du glissement de terrain. Nous avons développé dans ce travail de thèse, une série d’expériences de laboratoire à petite échelle, pour étudier en détail le processus de génération de vague par l’effondrement d’une colonne granulaire, initialement sèche, dans l’eau. Tout un ensemble de paramètres est testé : (1) la masse granulaire impliquée (hauteur, volume, rapport d’aspect, granulométrie et densité), (2) la hauteur d’eau et (3) la configuration géométrique (plan horizontal ou plan incliné). Des expériences quasi-bidimensionnelle en canal rectangulaire, permettent d’enregistrer à la fois l’évolution temporelle de l’effondrement granulaire et celle de la surface libre de l’eau. Nous montrons que le processus de génération des vagues est piloté par la dynamique collective de l’effondrement des grains à la surface de l’eau. Nous identifions une dépendance linéaire claire entre l’amplitude relative de la vague principale et un nombre de Froude défini comme le rapport des vitesses d’avancée du front granulaire et de la vague solitaire. En particulier, l’amplitude de la vague atteint sa valeur maximale pour une profondeur d’eau intermédiaire. Le transfert d’énergie global a montré que seulement quelques pourcents de l’énergie potentielle initiale de la colonne sont transférés à la vague, issus notamment d’une perte d’énergie considérable dans l’effondrement granulaire lui-même. Enfin, nous soulignons la faible influence du diamètre et de la masse volumique des grains dans la génération de la vague. Cela suggère que la masse de l’effondrement est de faible importance par rapport à son volume. Un autre résultat intéressant est la dépendance linéaire de l’amplitude relative de la vague avec le volume immergé du dépôt final. Cette loi nous permet d’estimer l’amplitude de la vague pour des événements passés et potentiels. Malgré les échelles, géométries diverses et variées de ces événements, et l’incertitude des données, cette loi empirique provenant de notre expérience à petite échelle prédit des vagues similaires à d’autres modèles numériques ou expérimentaux. / Various past geological events have shown that landslides near coastlines, involving volumes from a few thousand cubic meters to several cubic kilometers, can lead to tsunami waves with significant amplitude. The generated wave and the collapse both represent an important hazard for the population and infrastructure located on or near the coast. Realistic modeling requires considering the granular nature of landslides. Here, we developed a new set of small-scale laboratory experiments to investigate in detail the wave generated by the collapse of an aerial granular column into water. An entire set of parameters are tested: (1) the falling granular mass (height, volume, aspect ratio, grain size and density), (2) the water layer height and (3) the geometrical configuration (horizontal or inclined plane). From quasi-bidimensional experiments in a rectangular channel we record both the time evolution of the granular collapse and of the generated wave. We show that the wave generation process is driven by the collective dynamics of the granular collapse at the water free surface. We identify a clear linear dependence between the relative wave amplitude and a Froude number defined as the ratio of the granular front velocity and the solitary wave velocity. The wave amplitude reaches its maximum value at an intermediate water depth. The total energy transfer shows that only a few percent of the initial potential energy of the column is transferred to the wave, suggesting a considerable energy loss in the granular collapse itself. Finally, we highlight the low influence diameter and density of the falling grain in the generation of the wave. This suggests that the mass of the collapse is of low importance compared to its volume. Another interesting result is the linear dependence of the relative wave amplitude with the relative immersed volume of the final deposit. This allows us to estimate the wave amplitude generated by past or potential events in Nature. Despite the various scales and geometries of these natural events, and the uncertainty of the data, our empirical law, from our small-scale experiment, predicts waves similar to other numerical or experimental models.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第24815号 / 工博第5158号 / 新制||工||1985(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科社会基盤工学専攻 / (主査)教授 渦岡 良介, 准教授 岩井 裕正, 准教授 上田 恭平, 教授 森 信人 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DGAM

Tsunami hazards were greatly underestimated along the coasts of countries bordering the northeastern Indian Ocean until the occurrence of the 26 December 2004, Mw 9.2 earthquake and its ensuing tsunami. Sourced off the coast of northern Sumatra, on the plate boundary between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates, the rupture of the 2004 earthquake propagated ~1300 km northward. The magnitude of this earthquake and the reach of its tsunami exceeded all known precedents, based on instrumental and historic records. The coseismic deformational and post-tsunami depositional features facilitated opportunities to conduct tsunami geology studies along the coasts of countries bordering the Indian Ocean. Several questions are being posed, the answers of which have implications for tsunami hazard assessment. How did this plate boundary behave prior to and after the great earthquake? Was the 2004 earthquake the first of its kind on the Sumatra-Andaman plate boundary? If it had a predecessor, when did it occur and was it a true predecessor in terms of its rupture dimensions and tsunamigenic potential? What types of depositional evidence are preserved and how can we use them to develop the history of past tsunamigenic earthquakes? Researchers are exploring the affected regions and using the imprints left by the 2004 event, to address these questions. There are two components to this study: one, a seismotectonic analysis of the region from the perspective of plate driving forces and their relative roles in the interseismic and post-seismic phases. This study uses global data catalogs like the NEIC PDE (National Earthquake Information Centre Preliminary Determination of Epicenters) and the Global Centroid Moment Tensor (CMT) solutions for earthquake source parameters to understand the along-strike variations in seismicity patterns before and after the 2004 earthquake. The 2004 experience was unprecedented in South Asia. Unaffected by tsunami hazards in the past, tsunami geology is a nascent field for most South Asian researchers. Very little background field data is available on the deformational features of great earthquakes along this plate boundary and the depositional characteristics of extreme coastal surges, such as tsunamis and storms. Where do we begin our search for evidence of past tsunamigenic earthquakes? How best can we use the 2004 tsunami and its deposits as a proxy? What problems are encountered in the interpretations? This thesis addresses these questions in part and presents observations from the Andaman Islands (the ~400 km, northern segment of the Sumatra-Andaman subduction zone) and the southeast coast of India, towards developing a reliable database of tsunami geology for 2004-type events. The premise is that regions affected by the 2004 earthquake are more likely to conserve signatures from older events. Based on the stratigraphic context of the proxy and quality of age estimates, this work presents evidence for past earthquake related deformation and tsunami deposition. In this work we use deformational and depositional features from the Andaman Islands, falling within the 2004 rupture zone and from one location on the Tamil Nadu coast of India (Kaveripattinam). From a perceptive understanding of the features related to tectonic deformation of the Sumatra-Andaman subduction zone, we have selected the Andaman segment that demonstrates explicit evidence for deformation and tsunami deposition through geomorphological and stratigraphic features, which are key to our exploration. A gist of each chapter is given below. The introduction (chapter 1) presents the background, motivation and scope of this work and the organization of this thesis, also summarizing the contents of each chapter. Chapter 2 provides a review of literature on subduction zone earthquakes and updates on tsunami geology, to place this study in the global context. The next two chapters discuss the seismotectonics of the Sumatra-Andaman plate boundary, the important earthquakes and their source processes. In chapter 3 we discuss the Andaman segment (from 10–15° N), characterized by relatively lower level seismicity, but distinctive, as it falls within the northern limit of the 2004 rupture. The deformational and depositional features here are better exposed due to availability of land straddling the hinge line separating the areas of 2004 uplift and subsidence. Here, the pre-2004 earthquakes used to occur along a gently dipping subducting slab, up to a depth of about 40 km. Post-2004, the earthquakes moved up-dip, extending also to the outer-rise and outer-ridge regions, expressing post-earthquake relaxation [Andrade and Rajendran, 2011]. The southern Nicobar segment (5–10° N) differs from the Andaman segment in its style of deformation and seismic productivity. The decreasing obliquity of convergence, the likely influence of a subducting ocean ridge on the subducting plate and the character of the subducting oceanic plate make this segment distinctly different. In chapter 4 we present an analysis of its seismotectonic environment based on the well-constrained focal mechanisms of historic and recent earthquakes. We report that left-lateral strike-slip faulting on near N-S oriented faults control the deformation and the style of faulting is consistent to ~80 km within the subducting slab [Rajendran, K. et al., 2011]. The 11 April 2012 sequence of earthquakes on the subducting oceanic plate, between the Sumatra Trench and the Ninety East Ridge are the more recent among the oceanic intraplate earthquakes that demonstrate the reactivation of N-S oriented fossil fractures. The limited availability of land and the 2004 coseismic deformation dominated by subsidence, followed by prolonged waterlogging makes exploration difficult in the Nicobar segment. Thus, we focus on the Andaman Islands for deformational and depositional evidence, using observations that can be corroborated through multiple proxies and depositional environments that are not prone to other coastal surges, such as cyclones and storms. The criteria for selection of sites, evaluation of deposits and determination of limiting ages are discussed in chapters 5 through 9. In chapter 5 we discuss different types of coastal environments and their response to high-energy sea surges. We also give a brief review of the comparative analyses of storm and tsunami deposits, a highly debated issue and then discuss important characteristics of these two deposits, using examples from the 2004 tsunami and the 2011 Thane cyclone that affected parts of the Tamil Nadu coast. An important component of tsunami geology is the ability to identify and select datable material from tsunami deposits and chose an appropriate method for dating (chapter 6). The types of material used vary from peat layers, peat-rich soil, gastropod shells, wood, charcoal, organic remains such as bones, coral fragments, pottery sherds and buried soil. Techniques such as AMS Carbon-14 and Thermoluminescence are commonly used with appropriate calibrations and corrections. In addition to the dates generated in this study (based on wood and shell dates) we use some previous dates from the entire stretch of the rupture within the Indian Territory and assign a relative grading to these ages, based on the quality criterion evolved in this study. We believe that this is the first attempt to segregate age data obtained from coastal deposits, and assign them a specific quality grading based on their environment of deposition and the type of material dated. Chapter 7 presents results of our investigations in the Andaman Islands, which cover ~30% of the rupture area. A coseismically subsided mangrove from Rangachanga (Port Blair, east coast of South Andaman) led us to a former subsidence during AD 770–1040, which we believe is the most convincing evidence for a previous tectonic event. Data based on inland deposits of coral and organic debris yielded a younger age in the range of AD 1480–1660. Both these dates fall in the age brackets reported from other regions of this plate boundary (mainly Sumatra) as well as distant shores of Sri Lanka, Thailand and mainland India. To understand the nature of distant deposits, we present observations from Kaveripattinam, an ancient port city on the east coast of India, where a high-energy sea surge deposit, found 1 km inland is attributed to a paleotsunami. The inland location of this archeological site at an elevation of 2 m and characteristics of the deposit that help discriminate it from typical storm deposition provide clinching evidence in favor of a 1000-year old regional tsunami (chapter 8). In chapter 9 we discuss the results of our study. We evaluate the nature of deformation/deposition and the calibrated age data in the context of their environments. Ages based on the organic material associated with coral debris (at Hut Bay and Interview Island) and the remains of mangrove roots, 1 m below the present ground level (at Port Blair) are considered as reliable estimates, due to their sheltered inland location and the in situ root horizon used for dating. Age data from Kaveripattinam is also considered reliable, based on its inland location beyond the reach of storm surges, sediment characteristics typical of tsunami deposition and ages based on multiple methods and samples. The age data based on the sites presented in this thesis are more conclusive about the 800 to 1100 AD and 1250 to 1450 AD tsunamis, and the former is represented from regions closer to the 2004 source as well as distant shores reached by its tsunami. Chapter 10 presents our conclusions and the scope for future studies. We present this as the first study of its kind in the northeastern Bay of Bengal, wherein the coseismic vertical coastal deformation features along an interplate subduction boundary and a variety of tsunami deposits are used to categorize depositional environments and ages of paleoearthquakes and tsunamis. To our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind where the effects of a recent tsunami have been used to evaluate paleodeposits based on their respective environments of occurrence. Our results have implications for tsunami geology studies in coastal regions prone to tsunami hazard.

Maps and models of seismic and tsunami risk are constructed from a variety of measurements taken in Indonesia, which have the potential to reduce loss of life and infrastructure. The first study uses the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) method to calculate the time-averaged shear wave velocity to 30 m depth (Vs30). These measurements were taken at 58 sites in the city of Pacitan, Java and on the islands of Lombok, Ambon, and the Banda Islands. Vs30 calculations are compared with local geologic maps to extrapolate site class for locations not measured directly. Site class maps are then compared with Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) observations for three earthquake events that impacted Lombok and Ambon to identify regions where the MMI and Vs30 do and do not corroborate one another. Consistent with other Vs30 studies, the lowest values are observed on coastal alluvial plains and the highest values on steeper hillsides underlain by volcanic deposits. The second study focuses on a potential sector collapse of the volcano Banda Api within the Banda Islands. A field survey of its summit identified a steeply dipping normal fault striking NNE-SSW. This, along with the fissure geometry of the volcano's most recent eruption, reveals a failure plane along which a future sector collapse could occur. The numerical model Tsunami Squares (TS) predicts that the tsunami produced by this landslide would inundate an estimated 63% of buildings on the Banda Islands with waves as high as 82 m. These findings highlight the importance of installing a GPS receiver array on Banda Api to monitor the motion of its slopes. The third study analyzes sediment from trenches on the Banda Islands and Ambon to test if historical tsunamis that have impacted the area are preserved in the geological record. Potential tsunami deposits were identified by the presence of marine sand and larger clasts of marine carbonate in an environment which otherwise lacks large storms to bring such material onshore. Several dating methods constrain the ages of at least seven candidate tsunami deposits found in trenches onshore. One of these historical tsunamis (the event of November 26, 1852) is described in significant detail from several locations across the Banda Sea, which enables modeling of the event using a Bayesian statistical approach. The posterior of this model predicts the most likely epicenter was SW of Seram with a mean magnitude of Mw 8.8. It also makes other predictions about fault parameters. The region exhibits a marked slip deficit based on instrumental records of earthquakes in the area.

En août 1883, l'éruption du Krakatau a provoqué des vagues de tsunami. Au centre et au Nord du détroit de la Sonde, peuples au moment de l’évènement de 1883 ont fourni de nombreux témoignages visuels des phénomènes volcaniques et des tsunamis. Les côtes sauvages et austères du Sud, notamment de la région de Ujung Kulon ont toujours été exemptes de populations. Il existe donc des lacunes dans les connaissances concernant le nombre et les caractéristiques des inondations de tsunamis sur ces côtes de Ujung Kulon. L’objectif de ce travail est d’explorer et de comprendre la façon dont les tsunamis générés par les différentes phases éruptives du Krakatau en1883 ont eu lieu à Ujung Kulon sur la base d’un déchiffrage aussi poussé que possible de l'enregistrement de phénomènes extrêmes dans des dépôts sédimentaire le long des littoraux sud du détroit de la Sonde. Pour atteindre cet objectif, trois méthodes d'analyse de texture et de composition sont appliquées, à savoir l'analyse de distribution granulométrique, l'identification des microfaunes et l’Anisotropie de la Susceptibilité Magnétique (ASM). Les résultats des analyses ont démontrés cependant que l'isthme en péninsule de Ujung Kulon a enregistré 4 (quatre) tsunamis liés aux éruptions et évidences que chaque vague a été enregistrée deux fois: i) par un flux direct provenant du détroit de la Sonde en ligne droite, ii) par une vague venant de l'océan Indien, retardée dans le temps après avoir été réfractée dans l’extrémité ouest de la péninsule de Ujung Kulon (près de l'île Panaitan). Cette preuve était unique et pourrait être liée au contexte géomorphologique exceptionnel de la péninsule de Ujung Kulon, y compris l'isthme et ses baies en forme de V, qui en font l'un des pièges les plus remarquables de dépôts de tsunami. / The giant tsunamis generated by the tremendous eruptions of Krakatau in 1883 were recorded along the coasts of Sunda Strait. Eyewitnesses testimony, tidal and pressure gauges recorded at Batavia (Jakarta), and tsunami signatures left by such event have been mostly used by researchers to evidencing the occurrence of the 1883-Krakatau tsunami around the Sunda Strait. Yet, there was still gap in knowledge when talking about the evidences of the 1883-Krakatau tsunami in the southern part of Sunda Strait and around Indian Ocean, due to the lack of eyewitness and a fact that some of the coasts is mostly noted as the remote areas. Laban Isthmus, one of the intriguing coastal landforms located 80 km to the south of Krakatau and connect Ujung Kulon Peninsula to Java Island, displayed the potential to record marine flooding events issuing from Sunda Strait and Indian Ocean. This study demonstrated however that the isthmus has recorded 4 (four) tsunami events related to the eruptions. Based on a new combination approach of sedimentary and micro-fossils analyses with the Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) technique, the result of the study evidenced that each wave was recorded twice: i) by a direct flow coming from the Sunda Strait in straight line, ii) by a wave coming from the Indian Ocean, delayed in time after having been refracted around the West-end of Ujung Kulon Peninsula (near Panaitan Island). Such evidence was unique and could be related to the exceptional geomorphological context of the Ujung Kulon Peninsula, including the isthmus and its V-shape bays, which made it one of the most remarkable traps of tsunami deposits.

Our paleotsunami surveys of the southern Java coast led to the discovery of five imbricate coastal boulder fields near Pacitan, Indonesia that may date to the mid-to-late 19th century or prior and two similar fields at Pantai Papuma and Pantai Pasir Putih that were tsunami-emplaced during the 1994 7.9 Mw event in East Java. Estimated ages for the fields near Pacitan are based on historical records and radiocarbon analyses of coral boulders. The largest imbricated boulders in fields near Pacitan and in East Java are similar in size (approximately 3 m^3) and are primarily composed of platy beachrock dislodged from the intertidal platform during one or several unusually powerful wave impactions. Hydrodynamic wave height reconstructions of the accumulations near Pacitan indicate the boulders were likely tsunami rather than storm-wave emplaced, as the size of the storm waves needed to do so is not viable. We evaluate the boulders as an inverse problem, using their reconstructed wave heights and ComMIT tsunami modeling to suggest a minimum 8.4 Mw earthquake necessary to dislodge and emplace the largest boulders near Pacitan assuming they were all deposited during the same tsunami event and that the rupture source was located along the Java Trench south of Pacitan. A combined analysis of historical records of Java earthquakes and plate motion measurements indicates a seismic gap with >25 m of slip deficit along the Java Trench. A 1000-1500 km rupture along the subduction interface of this segment is capable of producing a 9.0-9.3 Mw megathrust earthquake and a giant tsunami. However, evidence for past megathrust earthquake events along the this trench remains elusive. We use epicenter independent tsunami modelling to estimate wave heights and inundation along East Java in the event that the trench were to fully rupture. By translocating ComMIT slip parameters of Japan's 2011 9.1 Mw event along the trench offshore East Java, we demonstrate possible wave heights in excess of 20 m at various locations along its southern coasts. Approximately 300,000-500,000 people in low-lying coastal communities on the southern coasts of East Java could be directly affected. We recommend at-risk communities practice the "20/20/20 principle" of tsunami hazard awareness and evacuation.

Since 2004 there have been multiple devastating tsunamis around the globe triggered by large magnitude earthquakes; with the most recent being the Tohoku, Japan tsunami in March 2011. These tsunamis have caused significant loss of life and damage to the coastal communities impacted by these powerful waves. The resulting devastation has raised awareness of the dangers of tsunamis and the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) housesmash project (NEEShousesmash), was started to investigate several different areas of tsunami inundation. The work presented in the following two manuscripts was performed at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Lab and Gene D. Knudson Wood Engineering Lab, which are located at Oregon State University. This work represents a small portion of the total NEEShousesmash project, and is focused on improving the knowledge and predictability of tsunami loading and structural performance. The first manuscript investigates tsunami wave impact on full scale light-frame wood walls, and compares the measured forces to calculated values using the linear momentum equation, previously evaluated by Cross (1967). The results show for each wave height tested a peak transient force followed by a sustained quasi-static force, with a ratio of transient force to quasi-static force of 2.2. The results also show that the linear momentum equation did an acceptable job of predicting the measured transient forces on the walls to within ±10%, and that increased wall flexibility, 2x4 vs. 2x6 dimensional lumber, resulted in lower measured transient forces when subjected to similar tsunami wave heights. These results are important for practical use because the linear momentum equation is a simple equation to use, that only requires a couple of site specific input variables. The second manuscript is a continuation of the work done in the wave lab for the first manuscript. These experiments provide a starting point for expanding the testing of the structural response and performance of larger scale structures subjected to tsunami wave loads. By simulating tsunami loading in a traditional structures laboratory, the inherent limits of testing structural performance in small scale tsunami laboratory facilities is removed. The results show that a light-frame wood shear wall, built to current standards, is susceptible to premature failures from concentrated impact loads at intermediate heights compared to the design strength at full height. It is also shown that the out-of-plane walls subjected to both elastic and inelastic loads behave like a one way slab with minimal load sharing between adjacent studs. The failures observed during the hydrodynamic wave testing of the nailed connection between the bottom plate and studs was successfully reproduced, and shows that current construction standards are not fully utilizing the available capacity of each stud when subjected to tsunami waves. The reinforcement of this connection with traditional metal brackets would help increase the capacity of the out-of-plane wall to resist tsunami wave loads. / Graduation date: 2012