Typical Garage Doors - Wind Borne Debris & Flood Loads?

[eng003]

I have a project located in a wind borne debris area and in a flood zone. The structure has several garage overhead door openings. Are there garage doors rated for for hydrostatic loadings?? Are there garage doors rated for wind borne debris?? Are these strctures typically designed as partially enclosed??

 

[chicopee]

A thought came to me about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnels. To prevent the two tunnels from flooding during storms are there any doors to keep these tunnels dry? If so contact the authority controlling these tunnels for information about the manufacturer.

 

[SteelPE]

Lots of questions there. What type of flood zone are you in?

 

[chicopee]

My "questionable" response is to assist eng003 in his research.

 

[MikeHalloran]

The Miami-Dade/South Florida building code includes requirements for tests with a 2x4 launched from an air cannon. I'm pretty sure that garage doors that have met that requirement are available.

Hydrostatic pressure is a different animal. The redneck solution in South Louisiana includes big dimensional lumber stacked in channels bolted to the building. You couldn't lift a garage door built that strong.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[SteelPE]

I wasn't questioning you chicopee, I was questioning the flood loads on the OH door. I have only done a little work if flood zones and I know every aspect of design is a huge PITA. Depending on the flood location, you are not suppose to have inhabited areas below the flood plain. Depending on the flood zone you may be able to install flood vents in other areas of the structure.

The first flood project I worked on a few years ago the client said "I'm installing flood vents so you don't have to worry". I knew nothing about ASCE 24. They said flood vents were acceptable in the code and that I didn't need to sign off on their method to mitigate construction. Two months later they told me I had to sign off on their flood vent design. I found out the project was in a V zone and what that meant and the project went south from there.

 

[Jerehmy]

I wouldn't design for partially enclosed. I'm sure the doors won't be open during a hurricane. Well, they shouldn't be.

 

[SteelPE]

Jerehmy,

On my project described above, the client intentionally keeps the doors to the building open just in case the area floods..... at least that is what they told me. In the end it didn't matter as they were in a V zone and by they time they were done there was to be nothing left of the siding and stud materials.

 

[a2mfk]

Yes on the windborne debris, just put in on the drawings and the contractor must select a product that meets the project wind requirements for wind pressure and impact resistance.

No on the hydrostatic pressure. Depending on the flood zone elevation, this could amount to several feet of water, and you would need steel floodgates to properly resist those lateral forces. Also, no garage door opening is water tight. In most flood events the water rises at a rate that allows the water to leak around the garage door gaps. But you likely will have to have flood vents like SteelPE was discussing, see the attached document.