The test facility is helping engineers design safer homes—but it’s not powerful enough to mimic the stronger hurricanes fueled by climate change.
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.
The Wall of Wind There is currently only one life-size test facility at a U.S. university capable of generating Category 5 winds, currently the most powerful level of hurricane. That’s the Wall of Wind. Lessons from hurricane testing We’ve found in destructive testing that a structure will often rip apart in less than a second. All it takes is the wind penetrating the weakest point.
The shape of buildings can also either create weaknesses or help deflect wind. You’ll notice that most modern high-rises avoid sharp corners. Testing shows that more trapezoidal or rounded edges can reduce wind pressures on buildings.
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