Finite Element Modeling of Tsunami-induced Water Levels and Associated Inundation Extent: A Case Study of the 26th December 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Abstract In recorded history, the tsunami due to the Great Sumatra earthquake of 26th December 2004 has been the most devastating, causing the loss of over 230,000 lives besides extensive damage to most of the coastal provinces bordering the Indian Ocean. Real-time prediction of tsunami wave heights and resultant inundation of inland coastal areas are essential to safeguard the life and property of the coastal community. In the present work, a finite-element-based ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) model (widely used for storm surge simulations) is used to compute tsunami wave height and associated coastal inundation due to the 2004 event. The prime focus is on the Cuddalore coast along the east coast of India, which was heavily affected due to the tsunami. A grid resolution of around 50 m was used in the Cuddalore region to simulate the inundation in the area. Computed results are validated against the available observations. It is noticed that the model computations are in good agreement with the observations. Simulation results depict that because of its computational efficiency and accuracy, the ADCIRC can be used for near real-time prediction across the tsunami warning centers.