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dusty · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:17 pm Post subject: Lessons learned. Or not?

Now that everyone can plainly see the damage a 20' high wall of water can do, how about some building codes for all structures within a certain distance of the beach be enacted.
At the federal level. Nationally mandated structure codes so the states can't screw with em.
Every structure within range of that type water damage should be required to be built on round concrete piers of a suitable diameter that extend below ground level by a certain distance. Engineering studies of each type soil in that area would dictate the required depth of the piers with the piers high enough so that the first floor of the structures would be above the 20' mark.
I know if I was fixing to build down on a coast, I'd put mine in the air on round concrete piers.
Maybe next time one of these monsters came through it wouldn't cost so much to rebuild.

Dusty
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Anker-Klanker · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:24 pm Post subject:

I've got a better suggestion. No homes, commercial buildings, etc. - i.e., nothing that is not expendable - on ground that is not over the expected surge tide level. Turn all that property along the water into public-owned park or "flood plain."

LewWaters · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:27 pm Post subject:

Problem is, Dusty, what about the next one that may be a 25 foot or a 30 foot surge? Sooner or later, we need to learn that we face nature, we lose everytime. Growing up within 2 miles of the Florida Atlantic coast, we pretty much knew that we were taking our chances. We can build to withstand some, but sooner or later, a bigger one will come along and you're finished.

There's just so much man can do and then, Nature wins.

It may sound cold, but I feel if you build in an area prone to hurricanes and such, you do it taking your chances. Codes end up being someone's scapegoat for when the inevitable happens. Some codes indeed need to be placed and enforced, but the ever increasing of them becomes endless.

One of the problems in N.O., is that the levees ended up causing the formation of the delta to erode, which removed a natural barrier from hurricanes. The more land between the coast and you, the better off you are in a hurricane.
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dusty · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 11:08 pm Post subject:

Good ideas. I like Anker-Klanker's more than mine.
But this is what is needed. Planning and guidelines. Mandatory building codes for structures in harms way that would give them a pretty good chance of surviving even higher storm surges.
Remember if you're already 20' in the air, a 25' surge is only a 5' high water impact. Most well designed and constructed structures will survive that.
Wet maybe but still there.
Let's hope that the powers that be take some notes and act on them. Some correspondance from their voters may help them make up their minds to do something different from now on.
Like once a storm wipes out structures in an area, initiate the guidelines for any new structures. Whether it be not allowing building in certain areas or highstress codes or a combination of both.
Main point being we need to learn from this and not do the same thing again.
What I'm wondering is will we. Gonna be interesting to watch eh?

Dusty
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Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right!

USAFE5 · PO2 Joined: 23 Aug 2004 Posts: 362 Location: Reno Nevada

They did something like this with the Tsumani that hit Hawaii back in the 60's I think. I saw it awhile back on the Discovery channel. A whole park area near a beach with a marker for the students (it was a school that got wiped out)
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