An Agent-Based Modeling Approach for Estimating Inundation Areas over Time

Abstract

Emergency and evacuation planning is critical to reduce potential loss of life from flooding. In order to develop evacuation plans, emergency managers and decision makers require estimates of probable inundation areas and times of inundation. In this paper, we present an agent-based modeling approach that incorporates in a hydrodynamic model to estimate both of these properties. A case study is conducted modeling the failure of a dam located in Andong, South Korea. We estimate flood travel times for Manning’s roughness coefficients and discharge using a coupling of the continuity equation and Manning's equation. Using the output from the hydrodynamic model and the flood travel times, the agent-based model produces flood inundation maps at each time interval. The model estimates that for two-thirds of the Andong region the time of inundation is estimated to be slightly less than three minutes. The results of this study can be used to in the development of emergency and evacuation planning for the region.