Resilient and Sustainable Geotechnical Solution: Lessons Learned from the 2011 Great East Japan Disaster

This paper first describes the field tests conducted on a tire retaining wall that miraculously survived in the 2011 Great East Japan disaster. The paper then proposes a new concept of using waste tires behind the seawall in order to protect such coastal structures from the damage due to impact force of tsunami. A physical model for tsunami impact force simulation was developed and described to evaluate the reduction effect of tsunami impact force by the tire structures. Finally, from aesthetic point of view, cultivation of suitable plants inside the tires was proposed. Field tests on planting trees that can grow in saline soil conditions were performed to see whether tire structures can preserve the greenery of the area. The results of this research, thus, can go a long way toward providing a sustainable solution for infrastructure development in the future.