Quantifying damages during storm events
USACE commissioned the development of a tool to calculate the annual damages prevented by Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) projects following storm events. USACE needed the ability to reliably demonstrate the value of completed CSRM projects and identify critical areas that could benefit from such improvements in the future.
Demonstrating the benefits of CSRM projects through data
Trinnex created the Coastal Storm Damages Prevented (CSDP) tool as a solution to calculate the damages prevented by CSRM projects. The CSDP is a cloud-based system and back-end database that provides a uniform methodology for the analysis of storm-induced morphology changes and structural damages. The tool also enables USACE to run hypothetical simulations of storm events and visualize the benefits provided by CSRM projects in reducing total damages during the storm. The tool allows users to submit a package of information that is then run through a morphology model to determine the response of the beach to the input storm and provide estimates on the total damage caused by flooding, erosion, and waves. The tool also uses a consequence model to determine damage at the structural level. These models can be run to display the results of the same storm event had there not been any CSRM projects to protect the area and visualize the damage reduction that would be provided by a future project.
Substantiating successes of coastal infrastructure development
The CSDP tool enables USACE to accurately present annual damages prevented data in reports as well as to technical experts and policy decision makers. The advanced modeling capabilities of the tool allow for a direct comparison between the results of a storm event with and without CSRM infrastructue in place to reduce the damage. This data helps inform the decision making process surrounding CSRM projects and coastal development.
