USF urban planning professor uses 3D scanning to assess hurricane flood risk in Tampa

By Dakota Galvin, College of Arts and Sciences

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

"This research is critical because it addresses urgent, real-world challenges," Kim said.

As communities in the Tampa Bay area continue to rebuild from the 2024 hurricane season, when three named storms hit the area in just three months, USF researchers are turning to 3D scanning technology to map flood-prone areas and strengthen future storm preparedness.

Assistant Professor Youjung Kim from the School of Public Affairs is partnering with the Access 3D Lab to measure the elevation of Davis Islands and support long-term flood resilience planning for its vulnerable neighborhoods.

"After Hurricane Milton, I drove my car to Beach Park to record the debris in the community," Kim said. "After I got back to my office, I watched the video footage and noticed that not every house within the flood zones was affected by flooding. So that sparked the question - what factors affect flood damage?"

The key variable, Kim found, is first-floor elevation. With help from the Access 3D Lab, he is using lidar scanning technology to measure it - transforming the data into visual evidence of changing patterns of flood vulnerability across Davis Islands.
Constructed in 1924, Davis Islands sits just above sea level - making it especially vulnerable to storm surge and flooding. The neighborhood's proximity to the bay and aging infrastructure further complicate recovery efforts.

According to Kim, homes built after 1980 were constructed with first-floor levels higher than the base flood elevation (BFE), reflecting evolving construction standards influenced by FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

A 2022 NASA study found that global climate models project hurricanes will bring heavier rainfall and pose greater coastal flood risks due to rising sea levels and stronger storm surges. Since the 1980s, the North Atlantic has entered a more active storm period, marked by an uptick in the number of storms and an increase in hurricanes that rapidly intensify (NASA, 2022).

According to Kim, the current first-floor elevation requirements for floodplain development in the Florida Building Code helped mitigate damage during Hurricane Helene but may be insufficient for more extreme flooding events, such as 100-year floods or worse. He noted that, while Florida's building code is recognized as a national model for flood risk reduction, incorporating damage-informed freeboard standards and expanding initiatives like the Elevate Florida program to raise low-lying homes could further strengthen statewide resilience.

"This research is critical because it addresses urgent, real-world challenges," Kim said. "Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused widespread flood damage last year, and storms of similar or greater intensity are likely to recur. Proactive preparation is therefore essential to protect communities and reduce future losses."