Mapping the danger to life in flash flood events adopting a mechanics based methodology and planning evacuation routes

Abstract Extreme flood events are becoming more frequent and challenging due to climate change. Key objectives of this study are to evaluate different criteria used in assessing the hazard to people during flood events and, once determined, the most suitable method is then used to assess the hazard and the safest route(s) for evacuation during a flood event and for a particular case study. The results of the application of two criteria are analysed in terms of the flood hazard assessment with the two criteria being based on a widely used empirical approach and a mechanics based approach. Both criteria are used to assess the flood hazard to people during an extreme flash flood, which occurred on 16th August 2004 in Boscastle (UK). Results obtained for this study have highlighted that the mechanics based criteria are preferable in identifying the ideal escape routes, when considering the flood characteristics and the corresponding response of a human body. The main novelty of this study lies in linking the flood hazard rating with the human body characteristics, when determining the safest route and with a revised formula being developed, which includes the effects of ground slope in the application to a real case study.