SEC-HY21 is an integrated software package developed by Sinotech Engineering Group for two-dimensional depth-averaged hydraulic simulations. In this study, the application of SEC-HY21 on tsunami simulation is introduced firstly with a focus on its verification and validation. The developed numerical tsunami model is tested by a series of benchmark problems suggested by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States. Secondly, potential tsunami triggered by fault movements and underwater earthquakes in the vicinity of Taiwan and their impact on the island's nuclear power plants are analyzed. The results show that SEC-HY21 is capable to effectively simulate the phenomena of tsunami, including tsunami generation, propagation, run-up and inundation.
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which occurred on December 26 with a magnitude of 9.0, caused a series of devastating tsunamis that struck the coasts bordering the Indian Ocean. More than 230,000 people in fourteen countries lost their lives and the maximum run-up height along the inundating coastal areas was up to 30 meters high. After the disaster, many countries began to recognize the destructive power of tsunami and launched into developing early warning systems. Taiwan, an island located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is particularly susceptible to tsunami attacks. Earthquakes occur often and tsunamis have been recorded in history. Therefore, development of effective tsunami simulations and the implementation of an early warning system are of high priority.
On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake off the northeastern coast of Japan triggered tsunami waves of up to 30 meters high, which washed up the coastal regions of Fukushima, Iwate and Ibaraki prefectures. Besides the massive loss of life, environmental devastation and infrastructural damage, the tsunami also impaired the Fukushima nuclear power plant, leading to plant failures and subsequently releases of contaminated, radioactive material into the environment.
