Project-Hurricane-Ike-Hindcast

Challenge. Analyze and assimilate wind/storm surge data and provide tool to support resolving insurance claims resulting from flooding and wave damage.

Solution. INTERA provided a hindcast of the wind, storm-surge elevation, wave height, and flow velocity experienced during Hurricane Ike (2008) throughout coastal Texas. To assist field inspectors following the storm, we provided the results of our analysis in the form of a geospatial database. Our hydrodynamic and wave modeling approach involved applying the ADCIRC (surge) and SWAN (wave) models. INTERA developed the finite element (ADCIRC) and finite difference (SWAN) model meshes from publicly available topographic and bathymetric data. We validated the model results with publically-available measured data extracted from NOAA tidal stations, USGS stream gages, National Data Buoy Center wave buoys, as well as high-water mark data collected by USGS and FEMA after the storm. A portable geospatial application consisting of a stand-alone viewer developed in the Adobe flash environment that contained maximum surge level, wind speed, flow velocity, and wave height throughout coastal Texas. INTERA conducted a seminar covering product installation (easily accomplished in a matter of minutes on field laptops), viewer use, and data interpretation.