On-site investigation on the utilization and disaster impact of tsunami evacuation buildings at the Great East Japan earthquake

Tsunami evacuation buildings were used in the Great East Japan Earthquake. This paper reports an investigation on the actual use and disaster impacts of the tsunami evacuation buildings. There were many cases that tsunami rises up higher than actual tsunami depth. This means that it is not enough that refuge floors are located just higher than the assumed tsunami depth. There were many cases that buildings were cut off by debris, subsidence and flooding. Tsunami evacuation buildings are for temporary refuge, but this means that it is necessary to assume the stay in tsunami evacuation buildings.