Building A Hurricane-Proof House
Newsweek, October, 2007
Why do some houses withstand hurricanes better than others? Researchers at the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University hope to find out with a first-of-its-kind hurricane simulator, scheduled to be completed next summer. The “Wall of Wind” machine, composed of 24 massive fans, will be capable of generating category 5 winds of more than 155mph. It will allow scientists for the first time to study the effect of wind on full-size homes, which may ultimately lead to a home-safety rating similar to the one for vehicles. “People crash perfectly good cars into concrete walls,” says Dr. Stephen Leatherman, the center’s director. “That’s exactly what we’re going to be doing to houses.” The project’s financial backers, the state of Florida and the...
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