Citation

Reid RL. Civ. Eng. 2006; 76(11): 20-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American Society of Civil Engineers)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A new report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency explores how well certain types of structures performed last year during Hurricane Katrina. The report "Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast: Mitigation Assessment Team Report, Building Performance Observations, Recommendations, and Technical Guidance", examines flood and wind damage to structures in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, noting the flood levels in those regions. The report showed that residential buildings constructed with foundations that were integral to the structural building frame exhibited clear advantages during Katrina. Among commercial buildings, the report notes that high-rises located near the Gulf shoreline generally exhibited good structural performance. In order to help prevent similar flood and wind damage in future hurricanes, the report recommends the adoption and enforcement of various modern building codes. The report calls for flood insurance provisions and premiums that reflect the actual risk during flood conditions by rewarding, rather than ignoring best practices in design and construction.

Language: en