Hurricane-proof House

[zxcvbob]

Are you sure you would trust an *army* surplus submarine?

-Bob

[Joseph Meehan]

Easy answer. Just build it in Antarctica. It has not had a hurricane in millions of years.

[D. J. MCBRIDE]

This is going to take a shitload of concrete.

[Adam Weiss]

Some places to start:

1: The buildings at the top of Mount Washington are a good example to follow for wind resistance. They withstood a storm in which gusts topped 230mph, the highest winds ever recorded. Worth a look if you want a house that'll handle any winds Mother Nature might blow its way.

2: The dutch have designed well for slow rising water. They've built houses that float. Not house boats, mind you. These homes have floating concrete foundations that will rise and fall with rising water levels. (I knew that thesis I heard of where a stoner physics student designd and floated a concrete boat and got credit for it would have some use somewhere, but I digress).

An idea I had was a house with a two story garage and an amphibian car in it. Living area on the second floor. When slow rising water comes, the car/boat rises up, and I can go out of my house like I normally would, climb into my car/boat, and drive off.

3: Storm surge is already designed for in many parts of the Gulf Coast. Houses are up on stilts, as many of our Florida contingent here on alt.architecture can explain.

4: As for unwanted government and looter home invasion, the best defense is you. Your eyes and ears, a video camera, and a gun. If you design your home to physically withstand the worst storms, it logically follows that you should be able to stay there safely during the worst storms, and the best defense against looters is a physical presence and a gun; the best defense against government is a video camera.

A house that's a veritable fortress against intruders wouldn't be pleasant to live during the 99.9% of the time when there's not a hurricane pummelling it or looters attacking it. That's my view anyway.

5: Another thing to think about is plumbing. Namely, when the power goes out, the water will as well. I've seen and smelled a toilet that's been full and not flushed for 2 weeks straight; you -do not- want that in your house.

Some auxiliary toilet, an out house even, that doesn't rely on running water is certainly in-order for a hurricane proof house.

[skroob]

Surplus army submarine would solve all issues.

[Don]

"Jim-Poncin"> wrote

Nope. I've done over 300 hpmes in the 130mph wind zone during the past 15 years and all of them sustained the 4 terrors last year. No ONE thing will do it, it takes a *system*. Clue: Abiding by FEMA dictates will get people killed.

[Jim-Poncin]

No, it lies on delta muds and silts that slowly de-water, compact and subside. There are many tall masonry buildings in downtown N.O. that are on the same foundation.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Sure, but that can be overcome with engineering and $$$$. maybe lots of $$$$$$$$$$.

[Jim]

It would be far cheaper to buy a house in some distant locale. At least, you could use for some purpose all the time. Jim

[Chris]

Not sure, I suppose you could ask him. As I remember he was as scientist stationed down there. Good enough for me. My guess would be carbon dating.

[Adam Weiss]

I didn't know that.

But here it is, all online and easily accessed for those too lazy to do real research in a library:

Very interesting and thanks.

[Matt Whiting]

Yep, that would be a great place to be when the flood waters came in. Unless, of course, your underground house is a buried submarine. :-)

Matt

[Dr. Hardcrab]

I have seen worst, but

"It's way up there...."

[Matt Whiting]

I nominate you both as the most retarded posters to a thread ever.

Matt

[LRod]

[asinine proposition snipped]

I nominate this thread as the most retarded ever in the history of these groups.

[Andy Dingley]

Best would be to build it in Britain, not America. (after all, "in Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire hurricanes hardly ever happen")

Second best would be to build it in America, in the way the British have always, and still do, build perfectly average houses. They're not great in earthquakes and in hurricanes the roof comes off (just look at Birmingham a month or two back) but the expensive structure stays intact and doesn't crush the inhabitants.

If you're worried about flooding, ask the Netherlanders, who have done this stuff quietly and competently for centuries.

[Norminn]

NOLA must have been on the back-side, with storm surge initially going out.

I think you can safely leave "rec.woodworking" off the list; there won't be a lot of wood in this structure. First, you need to withstand a 30' storm surge and, to be safe, 40' waves. 200 mph wind. So, I would start with reinforced concrete on bedrock, bottom 70' not living space. Hurricane shutters a must, along with generator higher than potential flood level. Plenty of fuel, food and water. Security force to keep out the masses when THE storm is coming. Heli-pad/covered pool on roof. You will have to have some leisure and exercise, and a way to get out when the end of the world comes and you and a chopper pilot are the only two humans left :o) Might as well put the ark up there, too :o)

We have had about 8' storm surge from storms far out on gulf and no wind. Pretty spooky when the seawall and docks all disappear and it looks, suddenly, like a beach :o) 30' storm surge where I live would drown my upstairs neighbor.

[skroob]

Poland? ;)

nice catch, though.

[Charlie Self]

You're welcome. One of the benefits of reading Popular Mechanics as a kid 50 years ago.

[Don]

Make that boat tickets and I'll order 2 right away. When an airplane stops flying you can't get out and fly. When a boat stops floating you can get out and swim. Humans are more closely related to fish than birds. ;-)