In this era of technological revolution, technology has been at the helm of growth for every sector, one of which is real estate. Newer construction technologies have facilitated the construction world with superior structure quality and strength but have they really made these structures strong enough to withstand natural calamities? How can we ensure the survivability of the building in adverse weather conditions?
To build a structure that can survive the natural catastrophe we need to take due diligence of the extent of the calamity the locality may face such as flooding, earthquake, or wind load.
Wind load is primarily a horizontal load caused by the movement of air relative to earth. Wind load is required to be considered in structural design especially when the heath of the building exceeds two times the dimensions transverse to the exposed wind surface. Multistorey buildings are placed at a greater risk of being affected by the wind. In certain regions with high wind velocity (such as coastal areas), even normal building designs have to take wind loads into account.
Some construction systems are far more wind-resilient than others. To minimize wind damage, the following strategies can be employed: hip roofs offer much less wind resistance than gable roofs; metal tie-down straps that tie the roof structure all the way down to the foundation and various structural connectors can dramatically reduce uplift, which is the cause of the most significant roof damage in cyclones; cyclone shutters can protect windows from most wind-blown debris. In general, the strongest construction systems are reinforced concrete, as can be achieved with insulated concrete forms or ICFs.
Insulated concrete form (ICF) is a system of formwork for reinforced concrete usually made with rigid thermal insulation that stays in place as a permanent interior and exterior substrate for walls, floors, and roofs. The forms are interlocking modular units that are dry-stacked (without mortar) and filled with concrete. The units lock together somewhat like Lego bricks and create a form for the structural walls or floors of a building. ICF construction has become commonplace for both low-rises commercial and high-performance residential construction as more stringent energy efficiency and natural disaster-resistant building codes are adopted.
A report concluded that ICF walls have greater structural capacity and stiffness to withstand the in-plane shear forces of high wind than wood- and steel-framed walls. Also, the strength of insulated concrete walls reduces the lateral twists and damage to non-structural elements.
MDIPL’s ICFs have the durability to withstand severe wind events and dangerous flying debris.
Wind-resistant building design must include a strong continuous load path that holds the roof, walls, floors, and foundation together and protects against flying debris during an intense wind event. A best practice for wind-resistant walls is building with Multi Decor India (P) Ltd (MDIPL). Multi Decor India creates wind-resistant walls that protect a building and its occupants from strong winds and flying debris.
Please visit Multi Decor India (P) Ltd for more information on wind-resistant building design.