Build for tornadoes


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Tornado-resistant construction options





Mandan earth lodge



u.s. army center of military history
http://www.history.army.mil/



The options



1. Tipi*

2. Wood platform framing with special connectors

3. Steel frame with special connectors

4. Geodesic dome with high-wind package*

5. Full log construction with special connectors*

6. Sandwich of brick with reinforced concrete center*

7. Rectangular reinforced concrete

8. Reinforced concrete dome

9. "Safe room" per FEMA 320*

10. Earth lodge*



fema 320, 4th edition - map and worksheet





Fema 320 fig. 2-7



wind zones in the united states



fema 320 table 2-1



safe room worksheet



notes



1. Tipi manufacturers can be found in ads in Native American - oriented magazines, newspapers, and mail-order catalogs.

4. Geodesic dome manufacturers put ads in housing-oriented magazines, and may have websites.

5. Log home companies can be located through magazines on long homes ask manufacturer about connecting rods, and what's needed to secure roofs.

6. "Pioneering Construction Ideas..." in Architectural Forum, January 1950, pp. 80-81, about rowlock brickwork with reinforced concrete filling. Recent research indicates more closely-spaced rebar is advisable.

9. FEMA 320 "Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business" (888) 565-3896 http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1423

FEMA 342 "Building Performance Assessment Report: Oklahoma and Kansas Tornadoes of May 3, 1999 - Observations, Recommendations, and Technical Guidance" (800) 480-2520 http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1423

10. Domical earth lodges were built (using log inner frame and shell) by several indigenous nations including Pawnee, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara and have as much as 3' of soil covering the exterior. A car-drop test will verify the specifications of the reinforced concrete inner shell needed for a modernized version of the earth lodge.