Performance-based design methodology for inundated elevated coastal structures subjected to wave load

This paper presents the method and results of a numerical study to develop a performance-based design methodology for elevated coastal structures with a focus on bridges. However, the methodology is applicable to other elevated coastal structures. A combined Eulerian-Lagrangian method for fluid-structure interaction was applied in order to compute forces on elevated coastal structures. The numerical results are in good agreement with test results of a large scale bridge section tested previously at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University. Specifically, a 5-m section of a prototype I-10 bridge section was used to demonstrate the fragility approach for performance-based design using four different levels of elevation. By introducing fragility modeling, a variety of design options can be considered consisting of either raising the elevation of the bridge or strengthening the structure itself in order to obtain the desired probability of failure for a specific intensity of hurricane surge and waves.