Performance of Physical Structures in Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita: A Reconnaissance Report.
Performance of Physical Structures in Hurricane Katrina
and Hurricane Rita: A Reconnaissance Report.
(7879 K)
National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST TN 1476; NIST Technical Note 1476; 263 p. June
2006.
Keywords:
hurricanes; weather effects; structures; environmental
effects; wind velocity; flooding; damage; residential
buildings; impact; wind effects; structural systems;
roofs; windows; cladding; natural gas; water damage;
transportation; water; water supply; surveys; waste
disposal; industrial buildings; building construction;
standards; codes
Abstract:
This is the final report on the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) led-reconnaissance to
assess the performance of physical structures during
Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The report
describes the environmental conditions (wind speed,
storm surge, and flooding) that were present during the
hurricanes in regions that were affected by the
hurricanes. The report further documents the NIST-led
team's observations of damage to major buildings,
infrastructure, and residential structures resulting
from wind and wind-borne debris, storm surge,
surge-borne debris, and surge-induced flooding.
Following Hurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29,
2005, NIST began planning for a two-phase
reconnaissance to study and document damage to major
buildings, infrastructure, and residential structures.
In phase 1, NIST deployed a roofing expert with a team
assembled by the Roofing Industry Committee on
Weathering Issues (RICOWI) during the week of September
6, 2005 to study damage to roofing systems in
Mississippi Gulf Coast region. NIST deployed four
structural engineers in cooperation with the FEMA
Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) during the week of
September 26, 2005 to study damage in the Mississippi
Gulf Coast region. Two NIST members of this team also
inspected the breaches in the floodwalls and levees, as
well as damage to major buildings, in New Orleans. These
phase 1 deployments provided input that was used to plan
a broader phase 2 reconnaissance to study damage in the
Mississippi coastal area, New Orleans, and Southeast
Texas (the area affected by Hurricane Rita). In the
phase 2 reconnaissance, 26 experts from the private
sector, universities, and federal agencies (including 6
from NIST) deployed during the weeks of October 10, 2005
and October 17, 2005. This report documents the
observations made during these deployments and
subsequent analysis of damage data and environmental
actions. It also outlines the major findings of the
NIST-led reconnaissance team. The report concludes with
23 recommendations for: (1) improvements to practice
that will have an immediate impact on the rebuilding of
structures damaged or destroyed by the hurricanes; (2)
improvements to standards, codes, and practice; and (3)
further study or research and development.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899