School Used as Emergency Shelter - Any Design Changes?

[dhoward26]

I recently completed the structural design of my old grade school.

The school has came back and said they want to use the new school as an emergency shelter in the event an emergency comes up.

Are there any changes structurally I would need to do to my design?

To me, it would seem it is just back-up power (redundancy), lighting, food and water storage that need to be considered and nothing structural.

Thank you,

D

 

[JAE]

dhoward - sorry that your thread has been deviated from your original questions - for all you gym-shelter bashers - I've done many per FEMA 361 and it can be done- does make sense (if you look at the areas required per person the hallways, etc don't provide enough and you struggle to avoid projectile defense due to too many open areas and doors).

The anti-gym bias is typical with a lot of folks because for many years schools were instructed to stay away from large gym rooms because of their tendency to collapse in high winds. People were instructed to sit in the long hallways with their head between their legs - with light gage metal deck roofs above and glass windows and doorways at either end...

I designed a school gym in the 1990's under FEMA 361 for 200 mph. The school was actually a new one my two kids were eventually to attend. After it opened I visited with the principal and asked if he was all clear on the use of the gym for storm shelters. He blinked at me and said, "No, no. The Civil Defense inspector slapped a shelter sticker on the mechanical room - that's where we should go." I had to do a lot of communicating with the school district to straighten that out as the mechanical room was only framed with light steel beams, hollow core floor above (for the air handlers) and was perhaps the worst place in the world to go. They finally instructed the principal to head to the VERY hardened gym structure...much to my relief.

Texas Tech (Mehta et al.) have provided testing for projectiles and in some cases 4 1/2" concrete walls are enough. FEMA 361 suggests 6" thick. I've worked with Texas Tech on projects in the past and we've been in situations where a 4 1/2" concrete wall panel was acceptable. The missle test is 100 mph (not 145) and a 15 lb. 2x4.

dhoward - you use the term "emergency shelter" which doesn't necessarily mean tornado or hurricane. You might clarify.

 

[Ron]

Agree with dik....if you push cost over safety, you will lose the liability game.

JAE is exactly right.

 

[spats]

One other aspect of emergency shelter design is that the mechanical & electrical systems must continue to function without interruption. Roof-top equipment and equipment mounted outside on the ground must be protected from flying debris. Protection usually involves enclosing the equipment with with a steel cage, clad with heavy wire mesh or expanded metal. The enclosure has to resist a missile impact.

Count me as a vote for JAE regarding gym shelters. I have designed three schools in Florida with such a requirement. It's been awhile so I can't recall the State document we were required to follow for the design, but roof uplift loads in the corners of the building can be on the order of 200 psf or more. The walls are either tilt-up concrete or solid-filled & reinforced masonry.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Sorry guys - last place I am heading to is the gym. I have NEVER seen one that would come even close to surviving a tornado.

If you have designed such a beast - KUDOS - and I believe it could be done - just the ones I have seen would be worthless.

 

[dhoward26]

Good conversation here. Update on this: The school has decided to shy away from using this as an emergency shelter. I'm not sure what all was involved with the decision for it as the Architect spear-headed it. It would have been an interesting to go back through and see how the design would have changed.

Thank you for the ideas and suggestions.

 

[Duwe6]

Most of the change = $$$$$

JAE got it right; it's readily 'doable' with a big budget. Heck, the Army made an above-ground bunker that withstood being inside an atomic fireball. $$$$$$

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Sure - if you have enough time and money we can move the St. Louis Arch or the Washington Monument!!

 

[dik]

dhoward... just make sure their reason wasn't based on your 'pushing...' and that it's clearly documented as such...

Dik

 

[hokie66]

My two cents. Hurricane, the gym, if I know how it is built and tied together. Tornado, a basement somewhere.