Coastal cities in the Southeast and Gulf Coast of the United States are at an increased risk of tropical cyclones (hurricanes) due to the combined effects of urbanization, rapid economic development, and climate change. Current building codes and standards focus on minimum performance criteria for individual buildings exposed to severe hazard events to ensure occupant safety. However, they do not consider the resilience of buildings and building portfolios, which are key factors in determining whether a community can respond to and recover from a severe natural hazard event. Light-frame wood residential buildings dominate the residential market in the US, represent a significant percentage of the investment in the built environment, and are especially vulnerable to hurricane winds and storm surge in coastal areas. Our study of the impact of various hurricane and climate change scenarios on the performance of coastal residential communities reveals that decision-making at the community level is needed to develop rational engineering and urban planning policies, to mitigate the impact of hurricane wind and storm surge, and to adapt to climate change. The results suggest that fundamental changes in the current building regulatory process may be necessary.
Coastal civil infrastructure is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Hurricane storm surge and coastal flooding can cause significant hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads on structures while saltwater intrusion (SWI) may lead to deterioration of foundations. The effects of saltwater intrusion due to Sea Level Rise (SLR) on the foundations of buildings and other civil infrastructure is poorly understood. Such damages may not be detected in a timely fashion nor be insured, leading to significant and unanticipated expenses for building owners. In this study, we evaluate the impact of SWI due to various SLR scenarios on the corrosion of reinforcement in foundations of nearly 137,000 residential buildings in low-lying areas surrounding Mobile Bay, AL. We find that the potential for costly damage is significant. Under an extreme SLR scenario, the annual expected repair costs for the foundations of the studied homes may reach as much as US$90 million by 2100.
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