How Can Local Knowledge and Infrastructure Engineering be Bridged for Tsunami Resilience? A Systematic Scoping Review of Socio-Technical Mitigation Framework

Tsunami resilience research has advanced significantly in both indigenous knowledge and engineering-based mitigation. However, these domains are often treated in isolation, which limits the development of integrated socio-technical catastrophe risk reduction solutions. This review examines how recent literature conceptualizes the relationship between local knowledge and tsunami mitigation engineering and operational planning, identifies mitigation functions that bridge these domains, and highlights existing knowledge gaps in socio-technical tsunami resilience. A systematic scoping study was undertaken utilizing the PRISMA framework and peer-reviewed literature published from 2020 to early 2026. Scopus and Web of Science search algorithms were used, supplemented by manual searches, to conduct the searches. The review used narrative analysis to synthesize twenty papers that met inclusion criteria. For each study, we categorized how indigenous knowledge was handled, what engineering could be put into action, and the socio-technical integration. The results show that indigenous knowledge is closely linked to how people perceive risks, understand warning messages, and evacuate. In contrast, engineering studies mostly focus on hazard assessment, early warning systems, evacuation modeling, and infrastructure development. In fields like warning architecture, evacuation route planning, and shelter location, research has rarely incorporated culturally grounded knowledge directly. Japanese Bosai and Indonesian Smong practices exemplify socio-technical integration; in both cases, engineering systems incorporate collective memory, trustworthy communication, and institutional support. A growing disparity exists between what communities know and what engineers do in the field. The study concluded that indigenous knowledge should be integrated into engineering designs, warning systems, evacuation strategies, and infrastructure development to make communities more resilient to tsunamis. Consideration of co-designed socio-technical frameworks, comparison of their application in various tsunami-prone areas, and development of equity-sensitive indicators are all avenues for future study that can contribute to disaster risk reduction efforts that are more community-centered and inclusive.