The objective of this project was to evaluate system effects and further define load paths within a light-frame wood structure under extreme wind events. The three-dimensional 30-by 40-ft (9.1-by 12.2-m) building, designed to be representative of typical light-frame wood construction in the southeastern coastal region of the United States, was modeled using SAP2000. Wall and roof sheathing was modeled using SAP's built-in thick shell element. The effect of edge nail spacing of the wall sheathing was incorporated by way of a novel correlation procedure, which eliminated the need to represent each nail individually. The computer model was validated against both two-and threedimensional experimental studies (in plane and out of plane). Uniform uplift pressure, worst-case simulated hurricane, and ASCE 7-05 pressures were applied to the roof, and vertical foundation reactions were evaluated. The ASCE 7-05 uplift pressures were found to adequately encompass the range of uplift reactions that can be expected from a severe wind event such as a hurricane. Consequently, it was observed that ASCE 7-05 "component and cladding" pressures satisfactorily captured the building's uplift response at the foundation level without the use of "main wind force-resisting system" loads. Additionally, the manner in which the walls of the structure distribute roof-level loads to the foundation depends on the edge nailing of the wall sheathing. It was also revealed that an opening in any wall results in a loss of load-carrying capacity for the entire wall. Moreover, the wall opposite the one with the opening can also be significantly affected depending on the orientation of the trusses. In general, it was determined that complex, three-dimensional building responses can be adequately characterized using the practical and effective modeling procedures developed in this study. The same modeling process can be readily applied in industry for similar light-framed wood structures.

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Category 5 Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida on October 9, 2018, with measured high water marks (HWMs) reaching 7.2 m NAVD88. The town itself received great damage, with many areas destroyed down to the foundations. In this study, we document the storm and its effects on the greater Mexico Beach area: hazard, structural damage, and their relationships. Wave and surge damage was nearly total for low-lying properties, but damage decreased greatly with increasing elevation. Major wave and surge damage was noted in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) X zones, which are out of the 100-year floodplain, and it is suggested that the 100-year storm is a deficient measure for categorizing flood risk.

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A total of 1,625 tornadoes occurred in the United States in 2011, resulting in economic losses that exceeded $25 billion. Two tornado outbreaks stand out because they caused more than half of those losses. The tornadoes that cut through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on April 27 and Joplin, Missouri, on May 22 were responsible for a combined 223 fatalities and more than 13,000 damaged buildings in the two cities. Although the economic losses associated with tornado damage are well documented, the writers argue that the overall impact should encompass longer term, broader considerations such as the social disruption and psychological effects that impact communities. This paper examines observations by tornado damage assessment teams led by the first author in these two medium-sized cities and suggests that the evolution of building codes and past approaches to construction have led to conditions that made this extent of damage possible. The authors outline a multidisciplinary path forward that incorporates engineering research and social and economic studies into a new design paradigm leading to building code changes and social practices that will improve resistance and mitigate future losses at a community level from tornadoes.