What shape would I need to build a house to make it hurricane proof?

Question

I've heard: egg, cone, and cylinder with done top. Which of these would be most resistant? And what would be a suitably strong material?

I meant "dome" top

Answer 1

Any well anchored all concrete structure would withstand hurricane forces, even a conventional rectangular shaped structure.

Answer 2

It's funny you should ask that right after an article appeared in the local (Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Florida.) paper. A fellow in Parrish is building a concrete dome house. (Parrish is just a few miles up the road.) He says that the fact that the house has no projecting surfaces, (Eaves, etc.) and no flat surfaces, (To be pulled up, or pushed down, by the high winds.) that is it the safest structure to withstand a hurricane.

It makes pretty good sense to me. If they can save fuel by making cars more aerodynamic, (To fight wind resistance.) Then an aerodynamic house, to make the wind slip off it instead of tearing it to pieces makes good sense.

How good it's gonna look is another story. The pictures I saw didn't look all that outlandish, but then again I ride a bike and have an open mind about stuff other people consider weird. The article did mention that where he first wanted to build it, the neighbors got an injuction so he could not do it. (They were worried about property values.)

The reasoning appears sound. Take a sphere and throw it. Take a cube (Square, like a house.) of the same size and mass and throw it with the same energy. That sphere is gonna go quite a bit further since there is less wind resistance. What do you want for a hurricane proof house? Less wind resistance!

You probably have to go with concrete since the walls will be bearing the weight of the upper floor(s) on a curved surface, while at the same time, bearing structural loads from the outside during high wind conditions. Plus concrete can be shaped to a smoother surface than wood or brick. You could maybe go with cinder block, and a concrete covering, but a thin concrete cover may be damaged in high winds.

I live in Florida, (Sarasota.) and got a visit from parts of the last four hurricanes. My folks live in Pt. Charlotte, and I saw the damage that "Charley" did. If round "Hobbit" houses are the way to go, then so be it. I've seen stranger stuff.

Only other thing to worry about is power and phone lines, mostly power since there are cell phones now. If you can afford a concrete dome house, you can probably afford a nice size generator to go with it. (I don't recall the article saying anything about that.)

Answer 3

Underground. :)

You want a shape that the wind will bend around not treat like a sail so I'd say an egg would be best (half buried).

Materials - You could make it out of steel, fiberglass, concrete or timber - you just need enough of those things to withstand the forces applied by the wind and the objects the wind is tossing around.

From a practical side, concrete and timber constructions are probably the most practical.

A concrete, Hurricane-proof, egg-shaped house, would be probably over 5X the cost of a regular house - meaning you could re-build several times before you were in a hole financially.

But you'd have a "cool" factor there that's gotta be worth something.

Answer 4

I hear Pyramids are structurally sound id build from that. Unless its a category 5 hurricane wood with hurricane straps would suffice or metal construction but really you dont have to go way overboard trying to "proof" a house. The weather can be unpredictable at times and can take down most structures given the right circumstances.

Answer 5

Back inthe 1950s at the Nevada Test Site they experimented on structures that could withstand near-direct hits by nukes (albiet small yields compared with H-bombs), and the dome shape was always the best one. The thickness of the reinforced concrete made it either slightly damaged (i.e ~4 inches), or not damaged at all (i.e. 8-12 inches).

If a dome can survive a small nuke, it can survive a hurricane.

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Answer 6

A tapered hemisphere, such that the center area fits a hemisphere, but the edges taper off parallel to the ground, would be least affected by the wind. Bullet-proof glass mounted between a carbon-fiber truss framework would be more than enough to deflect any debris. Waterproof the bottom, and you've got yourself a hurricane-proof house.

Answer 7

Remember the Superdome!

I don't know what would be best, I think just about anything would be vulnerable (aerodynamically) unless it was underground and had a way to keep water from getting in (without relying on outside power) or simply of such a strong construction it could stand up to that much force.

Answer 8

nicely, i do no longer comprehend if we've the hearth info, yet i comprehend they have twister and typhoon. I examine recently that an adobe homestead easily survived a typhoon collectively as all the different properties have been demonished. yet everybody become bitchin' approximately it being grotesque contained domestically. in case you reside on the east coast close to Florida or Mississippi or some thing to that result, i might completely get an adobe homestead built for me, yet make it effective finding and not some thing from the previous Indian web content.

Answer 9

Considering that hurricane conditions can
involve tree branches etc. carried by winds
of 120+ MPH., the result of your specification
would probably resemble a windowless
concrete bunker.

Answer 10

since huricanes are mostly wind, try building a titanium house in the shape of a right triangle with the wind blowing toward the slanted part.