Failure of the Sanibel Causeway due to Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 hurricane at landfall on September 28, 2022. (Courtesy Florida Department of Transportation)
The devastation caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022 serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of coastal infrastructure, particularly in Florida.
Among the hardest-hit structures were bridges, which are crucial lifelines during and after such disasters. However, researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering are pioneering new ways to improve the resiliency of these critical structures.
Scott Wasman, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the joint college, is spearheading a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)-funded study aimed at addressing the geostructural failures that have plagued bridge abutments during hurricanes. The team’s goal is to develop new design and remediation standards that could be implemented statewide.
“We are running numerous numerical modeling simulations that are representative of the kinds of hydrodynamic loading bridge abutments and retaining walls face during a storm,” Wasman explained. “Once we understand the why, we can come up with solutions to improve.”
Wasman’s project, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering Research and Development Center, leverages cutting-edge technology, including the Corps’ Geotechnical Centrifuge facility. This equipment allows researchers to simulate and study the impact of storm-induced hydrodynamic loads on geotechnical coastal structures, providing valuable insights for creating more resilient designs.
A Critical Mission for Florida’s Coastlines
Florida’s picturesque barrier islands, connected by bridges, are particularly vulnerable to hurricane damage. Wasman’s work is not only timely but essential, as it represents the first concentrated effort to bolster the resilience of geotechnical coastal structures against tropical storm surges and wave loads.
Wasman emphasized the broader implications of the research: “We plan to foster resilient coastal systems along the Gulf and East coasts of the United States and reach out to Pacific Ocean coastal communities. It’s about setting new, more reliable benchmarks for coastal designs, ones that promise not just endurance but safety and continuity for communities in the relentless face of nature's turbulence.”
Transforming Coastal Resilience
The $395,000 FDOT-funded project aims to address a pressing need for stronger coastal infrastructure, ensuring bridges and retaining walls can withstand future hurricanes. By combining numerical modeling and collaborative research, the team seeks to provide actionable solutions that enhance safety and mitigate the impact of natural disasters on vulnerable coastal areas.
This initiative is more than a study—it’s a forward-thinking approach to coastal engineering, with the potential to redefine how communities prepare for and recover from the challenges posed by an increasingly volatile climate.
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