STRUCTRURAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANES

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE INVESTIGATIONS ARE MADE AFTER HURRICANES AND OTHER SEVERE WINDSTORMS BUT NONE ARE MADE IN SUFFICIENT DEPTH TO BE OF VALUE TO STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, AND THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTING PROFESSIONS. ALTHOUGH COSTS OF RECURRING STRUCTURAL WIND DAMAGE EACH YEAR FAR EXCEED THE COSTS OF COMPARATIVE EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE AMOUNT SPENT EACH YEAR FOR RESEARCH ON MINIMIZING THE EFFECTS OF EARTHQUAKES EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT SPENT FOR WINDSTORM DAMAGE INVESTIGATIONS. CERTAIN IN-DEPTH STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATIONS ARE MADE AFTER EACH WINDSTORM EVENT BUT THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND STUDIES ARE MADE FOR STRUCTURAL FAILURES THAT INVOLVE PENDING LITIGATION OR INSURANCE CLAIMS. THESE STUDIES ARE NOT RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC OR TO THE PROFESSIONS. THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, HAVING MADE MANY OF THESE TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS, IS THOROUGHLY EXPERIENCED IN THIS TYPE OF PRIVATELY FINANCED INVESTIGATION. RESEARCHERS ARE MAKING IN-DEPTH STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATIONS AFTER A HURRICANE; THESE INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVE DETAILED INSPECTIONS OF THE FAILED STRUCTURE OR COMPONENTS, WITH STRESS ANALYSES AND DESIGN INVESTIGATIONS TO CONFIRM ACTUAL LOADINGS AT FAILURE, AND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CODE-WRITING AUTHORITIES.