Development of a Decision-Support Tool for Bridge Infrastructure Adaptation in Response to Climate-Induced Flood Risk
Researchers at the Vanderbilt Center for Environmental Management Studies (VCEMS) and the Vanderbilt Center for Transportation Research (VECTOR) have repurposed a commonly available tool to assist in this daunting and important task. Utilizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) HAZUS-MH software as a cornerstone, the researchers developed a methodology that may be employed by communities to triage the bridges in their jurisdiction for scour risk. The methodology, validated against data gathered from the devastating floods that struck Davidson County in 2010, provides a tool that can be used by communities both large and small to minimize impact to their transportation lifelines from precipitation and flooding changes brought about by our changing climate. This work is the result of dissertation research conducted by James C. Banks under the direction of Mark Abkowitz and Janey Camp. More information can be found from the dissertation itself, contacting Abkowitz or Camp, or from following journal articles:
2014 J. Banks, J. Camp, M. Abkowitz. Scale and Resolution Considerations in the Application of HAZUS-MH to Flood Risk Assessments. ASCE Journal: Natural Hazards Review. October 2014, 04014025-1-10.
2014 J. Banks, J. Camp, M. Abkowitz. Adaptation Planning for Floods: A Review of Available Tools. Natural Hazards. 70(2): 1327-1337.