FIU Researchers Blast Homes with Category 5 Winds to Improve Safety

Testing the Limits of Survival

With hurricane season just around the corner, Florida International University (FIU) researchers are taking extreme measures to ensure residential safety. In a month-long project, the team is subjected manufactured homes to the "Wall of Wind" (WOW)—a massive research facility comprised of 12 powerful fans capable of simulating the catastrophic force of a Category 5 hurricane.

The WOW facility can generate wind speeds exceeding 155 mph. During recent tests, researchers blasted a single-wide trailer to observe exactly how much force these structures can withstand. "This shows that we need to make this structure safer so that we don't see this kind of damage under hurricane winds," explained Arindamgan Chowdhury, FIU Lead Researcher.

The Importance of Anchoring

Florida currently holds the record for the most manufactured homes of any state in the U.S. Because so many residents rely on this type of housing, the research is considered "critical" by the scientific community.

The test focused specifically on how homes are secured to the ground. Highlights from the study include:

• Building Code Compliance: The test trailer was equipped with straps and anchors compliant with current Miami-Dade County codes.

• Initial Resilience: At maximum wind speeds, the anchors initially held the home in place.

• The Breaking Point: Once researchers intentionally clipped anchor straps and left windows and doors open, the home suffered a "progressive failure" and eventually tumbled away.

Erik Salna, an FIU Researcher, noted that the goal is to ensure families have a home to return to after a storm. "If it can be anchored in a better way so it doesn't roll over or move, then you don't have a loss," Salna said.

A Collaborative Effort for "Tornado Alley" and Beyond

The implications of this research extend far beyond the Florida coastline. Dr. Elaina Sutley, a Lead Researcher from the University of Kansas, joined the project to see how these findings could apply to "Tornado Alley."

"Because we're able to do this testing at the Wall of Wind, it is letting us observe how that progressive failure happens, which lets us design solutions," said Dr. Sutley. "Those solutions become the really important change that reduces losses."

By witnessing the destruction in a controlled environment, engineers can develop new materials and anchoring techniques that will eventually become standard in updated building codes across the country.

Explore NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the valley.