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Man vs. Nature

CSEF · 2016 Earth & Atmospheric Sciences (Junior Division Only)

Cecilia P. Bacich · School of the Madeleine, San Diego, San Diego County

Overview

Objectives/Goals My project tested whether a sea wall (made of plywood), or a mangrove forest (composed of olive branches) would serve as a better tsunami barrier. Methods/Materials A tsunami simulator was constructed using a water tank with dimensions of 112 cm x 49.5 cm x 42 cm. A piece of plywood (46 cm x 21.5 cm) was placed at a 300 angle and secured to one end of the tank. This represents the beach slope. Then a flat piece of plywood (47 cm x 47 cm) was connected to the top of the beach slope to represent the inland beach and water front land. The sea wall was depicted by a block of wood (53 cm x 6.35 x 3.8 cm) and the forest was represented by olive branches. The newly created tsunami simulator was filled with water and the testing began. A piece of plywood was pushed through the water at a constant rate to create the incoming tsunami waves. Results After 30 trials, the average distance the water traveled past the wall barrier, which represented the sea wall, was 18.5 cm. Then I removed the piece of plywood and replaced it with the olive branches. After 30 trials, the average distance the water traveled past the olive branches, which represented the mangrove forest, was 9.7 cm. Conclusions/Discussion After 30 trials, the average distance the water traveled past the wall barrier, which represented the sea wall, was 18.5 cm. Then I removed the piece of plywood and replaced it with the olive branches. After 30 trials, the average distance the water traveled past the olive branches, which represented the mangrove forest, was 9.7 cm. the data supported my hypothesis, which stated the mangrove forest would serve as a better barrier than a sea wall.

Summary statement

My project studied the effects of tsunami's waves on man-made concrete barriers versus mangrove forests

Help received

None

Competition history

  • CSEF 2016 Earth & Atmospheric Sciences (Junior Division Only) · Entry J0801

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