HURRICANE KATRINA: WINDS WAVES, WATER LEVELS,
AND FORCES ON STRUCTURES

Donald T. Resio
ERDC-CHL, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers(601) 634-2018; email: Donald.T.Resio@erdc.usace.army.mil
Vicksburg, MS
　

Abstract: This paper discusses results from a large effort to establish estimates of winds, water levels and wave conditions in the New Orleans area during Hurricane Katrina. State-of-the-are models were combined with local observations to provide a framework for understanding the performance and in some cases failure of various elements of the flood protection system. A clear result from this study is that these models still require local information to optimize performance and that coupled wave-surge models, rather than stand-alone surge models, are required for critical coastal design estimates.