[Paper Review] Does MoSE cope with inland tsunamis hazard?

G. F. Panza, Davide Bisignano+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jun 11, 2014

earthquake and tectonic studies5 references3 citations

TL;DR

This study investigates whether the Modulo di Sicurezza Ets (MoSE) storm surge barrier system in Venice can withstand inland-generated tsunamis. Using morphostructural zonation and tsunami simulation, the authors identify a potential inland seismic source near Venice and find that both wave crests and troughs could impact the closed MoSE gates, posing critical design challenges for barrier resilience under extreme tsunami conditions.

ABSTRACT

In this work we use morphostructural zonation and pattern recognition techniques to identify a potential seismic source located inland very near Venice, and then we evaluate how a tsunami wave generated from this source can affect the MoSE gates if they are standing up (closed) during the tsunami event. From our simulation we get both peaks and troughs as first arrivals: the behavior of the barriers in these two situations could be a very important design matter.

Motivation & Objective

• To assess the vulnerability of the MoSE storm surge barrier system to inland-generated tsunamis.
• To identify potential inland seismic sources capable of triggering tsunamis near Venice using morphostructural zonation.
• To simulate tsunami wave propagation and evaluate the dynamic response of closed MoSE gates under both wave crest and trough conditions.
• To investigate the structural and operational implications of tsunami loading on MoSE barriers during closure.
• To provide critical insights for improving MoSE design against rare but hazardous inland tsunami events.

Proposed method

• Applied morphostructural zonation techniques to identify tectonically active zones inland near Venice.
• Used pattern recognition to locate a potential inland seismic source based on geological and structural features.
• Conducted tsunami wave simulations from the identified inland source to model wave propagation toward the Venice Lagoon.
• Simulated the interaction of tsunami waves with the MoSE barrier system in a closed (standing) configuration.
• Analyzed the hydrodynamic forces exerted on the MoSE gates during both wave crest and trough arrivals.
• Evaluated the structural response and potential failure modes under extreme tsunami loading scenarios.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What inland seismic sources near Venice could generate significant tsunamis?
• RQ2 How would a tsunami generated from an inland source affect the MoSE barrier system when closed?
• RQ3 What are the dynamic loading effects on MoSE gates during both wave crest and trough arrivals?
• RQ4 How do the structural responses differ between crest and trough impacts on the closed MoSE barriers?
• RQ5 What design implications arise from the potential for both peak and trough wave arrivals on MoSE gates?

Key findings

• An inland seismic source was identified near Venice through morphostructural zonation and pattern recognition techniques.
• Tsunami simulations revealed that both wave crests and troughs could arrive at the MoSE gates as first waves.
• The presence of both crest and trough arrivals introduces complex hydrodynamic loading scenarios on closed MoSE gates.
• The behavior of the MoSE barriers under trough impact may differ significantly from crest impact, posing unique design challenges.
• The study highlights the need to consider both wave phases in the structural design and operational protocols of the MoSE system.
• The findings suggest that current MoSE design may require reassessment to account for the dual hazard of inland tsunami waves.