Center for Extreme Load Effects on Structures

Wind hazards

Most high-wind damage results from hurricanes, tornados, and severe storms.
  • Tall buildings and trees get hit with greater wind force than ground-level structures.
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  • Wind hurl small items at great speeds, shattering windows and damaging buildings.
  • Tornados produce the most violent winds on earth. Speeds can go up to 300 miles per hour.
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  • Wind can destroy weak structures and mobile homes.
  • Falling trees damage structures, especially utility lines.
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  • Wind can destroy roofs not well bolted to buildings.

Why make structures more wind-resistant

By making structures more wind-resistant, a community can increase the value of its structures. When critical structures are protected, resilience to all disasters increases.

What can communities do?

  1. Asses the risk of high wind events.
  2. Identify structures at risk that are community lifelines, including water towers and utility lines.
  3. Monitor critical lifelines and structures so that they can be repaired quickly or rerouted.
  4. Encourage the construction of wind-resilient structures through building codes.
  5. Explore the use of new materials and designs to make structures more resilient to wind damage

How can CELES help?

  • Provide engineering firms with the tools and information for durable construction.
  • Visualization and mapping for decision making.
  • Education and training
  • Develop monitoring systems for critical structures.

Issues for research and development:

What new materials and structural designs should be considered to improve the wind resiliency of critical structures?

See also:
CELES facilities

Related Links:

FEMA Tornado Information

National Skywarn page