2010-2012 Research Projects: Hazard Resilience in Coastal Communities

Project: Predicting Building Envelope Failures of Residential Structures Due to Atlantic Basin Hurricane Wind Hazard

Principal Investigator

WeiChiang Pang, Clemson University

Project Number

R/CH-2

Research Description

The Florida Building Code (FBC) has regulations that mandate buildings in wind-borne debris zones provide building envelope protection that is beyond the current minimum requirements in the International Residential Code and International Building Code. Currently, the FBC requirements do not apply to South Carolina. Should the same regulations for Florida be applied in South Carolina? In order to answer this question, a rationally-based wind-borne debris impact study will focus on South Carolina coastal regions.

The project will (1) characterize the hurricane wind hazard of the coastal South Carolina regions using suites of synthetic hurricanes generated using the current state-of-the-art hurricane simulation procedure, (2) develop a module-based framework for predicting the building envelope failures of residential buildings in South Carolina due to debris impact, (3) perform sensitivity studies on debris generation parameters on the damage of building envelope, and (4) develop a performance-based building envelope design methodology using the combined hurricane hazard and building performance information obtained from the first two objectives.

Contact for Questions

WeiChiang Pang (wpang@clemson.edu)