Tsunami Force Calculation

[valeahrens]

I have doubts about how to calculate the tsunami force, as the programme says that it uses the equation proposed by the ASE 7-16 standard, where, among the data to be entered are speed and maximum inundation height, which is obtained through an analysis of the energy line by means of normalised curves, thus obtaining the "outward" and "return" speed of the tsunami.

Therefore, why is it necessary to enter the reference height, since this data is not requested by the ASCE 7-16 equation?

[seismosoft]

Indeed this is not a parameter required by ASCE 7-16. It is an additional input parameter of SeismoStruct that covers cases, when the ground level of the building is higher or lower than the general elevation of the area (e.g., when the building is on top of a small hill, or below thw 0.00 elevation in an excavation).
In the general case the reference height is zero.

Seismosoft Support

[valeahrens]

Ok, thank you very much.

But I would like to know in which equation you introduce this input.

Thank you very much in advance.

[seismosoft]

Hi valeahrens
The reference elevation is considered in all equations including the inundation depth for example the equation calculating the Tsunami Force (6.10-2 of ASCE 7-16).
If your building’s lowest point has a height difference with the zero inundation depth of the Tsunami you can insert it in the program as reference elevation different than zero in order for this be considered. For example if your building is lower than the Tsunami zero innundation depth, the innundation depth is increased at each step during the force calculations in order to account for this difference

If you set the reference elevation as zero then you have exactly the equations provided by ASCE or Foster et al (2017).

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