5 Building Strategies to Strengthen Homes Against Disaster

  • Base Isolation
  • Easy-Dry Materials
  • Ground Level Breakaway Glass
  • Reinforced Foundations and Pillars
  • Missile Steel and Shielding

Because natural disasters tend to damage or destroy property, builders have come up with some solutions. Many of these are novel interpretations of principals as old as homebuilding, and take into account the natural settings of the dwelling. However, these techniques have been improved to reflect a greater understanding of the natural forces in play and how the material responds to such stresses.

Related resource: Top 10 Doctorate Degrees in Emergency Management Online

1.Base Isolation

While it might be somewhat instinctive to reinforce structures and make them more rigid, this weakens them in the event of an earthquake. Base isolation permits a building to withstand seismic waves by redistributing the motion energy before it reaches the relatively rigid fabric of a structure. Most ground motion that is caused by an earthquake is lateral or horizontal. To disperse the side-to-side movement that would bring a structure of any height tumbling down, the superstructure is isolated or elevated above the pad, foundation, or substructure. In high-rise construction, these pillars are often crafted from a lead core surrounded by rings of rubber and steel, although Japanese engineers are experimenting with innovative air cushions.

2. Easy-Dry Materials

While it may sound old-fashioned, one of the latest innovations builders are adopting to hurricane-proof their structures is the use of new products designed to withstand exposure to excess water. In addition to elevating the foundation pad from the surrounding area, construction includes reinforced brick pillars, Hardiplank siding, and unique, removable sections beneath the house to facilitate air circulation to soaked materials. They’re also steering clear of fiberglass insulation and paper-faced gypsum drywall board. According to Building Science, rustication—a process in which the lower level is built of masonry and the upper levels of wood—has regained popularity.

3. Ground Level Breakaway Glass

Building off the ground is indeed nothing new in the Pacific Northwest, but this particular structure takes tsunami preparation seriously. Smithsonian Magazine explores the unique attributes of construction that serve to render the structure less vulnerable to this seismic event. The ground level is unwired and furnished with waterproof items only. Sliding glass panels are interspersed between reinforced, anchored concrete pillars, with panes designed to break away effortlessly in the event of a tsunami. This follows the principle of directing the complex forces involved in such waves, rather than seeking to resist them.

4. Reinforced Foundations and Pillars

Tsunamis bring together a suite of complex variables, including surface winds, water velocity in multiple directions, and debris accumulation. While building technology has long used the angle principal—constructing homes at an angle to the shoreline to minimize surface area exposure—and elevation of dwellings, there are two variables to consider. No matter which way the wave is traveling, either inland or back out to sea, two events pose threats to the structural integrity of homes. Debris caught by the flow can scour or gouge foundations, destabilizing supports and causing fatalities. Pillars made of many materials can also suffer direct damage, whether from the force of the wave or gouging caused by debris. Specially designed pillar footings and the use of reinforced, specially-formulated concrete can help mitigate these influences.

5. Missile Steel and Shielding

While tornadoes occur on all inhabited continents, they mostly happen in the continental U.S.A. and represent a significant loss of life and damage to property. The violent force of tornado storm winds coupled with the unpredictable paths they take only heightens the costs associated with cleanup, rebuilding, and medical assistance. However, while it does bode to increase initial construction costs substantially, the use of missile steel shielding could offer a dramatic decrease to all other costs associated with building and repair in zones most impacted by these storms.

To mitigate both property damage and loss of life, home builders are utilizing better building strategies and advanced materials to construct dwellings for ordinary individuals. While these structures often resemble those deemed formerly unsafe, they are a mark of the advancement of engineering science. While these natural forces are a part of living on planet Earth, they need not be disasters if building techniques and services continue to evolve.