The 2014 McDonald-Mehta Lecture Series presents:
Waves, Surge, and Building Damage during Tropical Cyclones
Andrew Kennedy, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences
University of Notre Dame
Abstract: Waves and surge can cause catastrophic damage to coastal regions during strong storms. Despite this, engineering for near-coast structures remains far less developed than is found for other hazards. This talk will present aspects of the important science and engineering in these regions, with examples from Hurricanes Ike and Sandy, and Super Typhoon Haiyan. Topics will include measurements and computation of environmental waves and surge (including a discussion of the Hurricane Ike forerunner), wave and surge damage to residential structures, and run-up in regions with large nearshore waves.
Speaker Biography: Dr. Andrew Kennedy is an Associate professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. He has worked extensively on Coastal Science and Engineering problems with a focus on waves, surge and their effects on the built environment. Dr. Kennedy’s work has encompassed laboratory, field, theoretical and computational studies, including several projects in Texas. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, Kingston, and a Master’s degree at the University of British Columbia before obtaining a Commonwealth Fellowship to study at Monash University, Australia, where he received a PhD.
A reception will follow the conclusion of the lecture.
For further information, please contact Dr. Delong Zuo at delong.zuo@ttu.edu or ph: 806-834-6535.
