Even the most well-constructed building may have little chance against a direct hit from the 200-mph winds of an EF5 tornado. But a recently released ASCE study suggests that, away from the center of these catastrophic twisters, building performance may improve with greater attention to structural load paths and construction quality while also helping structures to withstand direct hits from smaller, less powerful storms.
The study, sponsored by ASCE’s Structural Engineering Institute, examined damage at various locations in Moore, Okla., following a deadly EF5 tornado that hit the Oklahoma City suburb on May 20, 2013. By documenting critical-failure mechanisms in the damaged structural systems, the team of structural engineers and high-wind building-design specialists sought to determine the cause of the failures.