Strategic coastal dike shape for enhanced tsunami overflow reduction

Coastal dikes are an essential social infrastructure to mitigate tsunami damage. However, there are no clear guidelines on effective dike shapes for reducing tsunami overflow. To examine effective dike shapes, numerical simulations of the amount of tsunami overflow at coastal dikes are conducted with reference to tsunami waveforms caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Results reveal the relationship between the dike shape and the amount of the overflow; the mechanism of overflow reduction based on the velocity and water level distribution is also verified. The comparison of the seaward and landward slopes of coastal dikes reveals that the seaward slope has a greater impact on the overflow, and the seaward slope with a vertical wall or a wave return structure reduces the overflow by 5%–30% compared to the 1:2 (26.6°) seaward slope. The landward slope should be determined based on the tsunami scale and the scour related to the dike stability. Since tsunami inflow damages human life and social infrastructure, achieving the overflow reduction without increasing dike height is vital. Our work contributes to rational design guidelines for coastal dikes.