×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

"Hurricane Hardened"

"Hurricane Hardened"

"Hurricane Hardened"

(OP)
Since last years storms here in florida, the term "hurricane hardened" is being thrown around by various clients and government agencies. Is there a technical definition for a "hurricane hardened" structure or is it purely a laymans term which would translate into using the correct design wind speed and a 1.15 importance factor? Any assistance would be appreciated.

RE: "Hurricane Hardened"

FEMA 361 provides info on severe storm shelters that can be applied to buildings.  I believe this has a lot of focus on tornados, but they do have info on hurricanes.  Also, I would think that some of our Florida engineers here would have some insight (Ron?).

RE: "Hurricane Hardened"

I'm working in Orlando and have never heard of the term "hurricane hardened".  

RE: "Hurricane Hardened"

Might be the local media personalities trying to look "smart" on TV!

RE: "Hurricane Hardened"

I see plywood being screwed down over windows. I see glass windows being taped with a very sticky tape to prevent glass shards blowing out and harming people. I see buildings designed to earthquake standards with minimal prescriptive loadpaths provided regardless of calculated loads. There's roofing standards for high wind areas. There's concerns for trimming trees of excessive foliage or susceptible breakage. Tie down loose furniture in yards. I even saw one homeowner placed concrete anchors in the ground around the house, then lashed the roof down with chords or wire. Hurricane means very low eye pressure associated with high tides. Buildings within the high surge areas must be designed for water surge loads. I suppose these are just a few things that may be applicable.

RE: "Hurricane Hardened"

If you take a look at our code, most chapters include specific sections for "High Wind Velocity Zones". These are specific requirements for Miami-Dade, Browrd and Monroe counties. Maybe materials used in these areas are what they refered to as "hurricane hardened".

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources