This document summarizes a presentation on rebuilding after disasters from a loss mitigation perspective. It discusses how building codes and construction practices have improved over time to reduce losses from hurricanes. Research on homes damaged by Hurricane Charley in 2004 showed that newer homes built to stronger codes suffered less damage and filed fewer claims than older homes. Retrofitting existing homes with techniques like FORTIFIED designations can also improve wind resistance.

1. Rebuilding after Disasters:
A Loss Mitigation Perspective
Forest Products Society’s
Sustainable Disaster Relief Housing Conference
October 28, 2011
Timothy Reinhold, Ph.D., P.E.
IBHS Senior Vice President of Research &
Chief Engineer

2. “Where building safety research leads to
real-world solutions.”

3. IBHS Mission
To reduce the social and economic effects
of natural disasters and other property
losses by conducting research and
advocating improved construction,
maintenance and preparation practices.

4. Exponential Increase in $ Losses
70
(1990 dollars - Billions)
60
Insured Losses from
50
Hurricanes
40
30
20
10
0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Decade
Source:
NOAA Data 1900 – 1990
IBHS Data 2000 -

5. Building Performance Chain
Where You How You Build How Well You
Build Maintain
Retrofitting
Loads & Construction &
Design Maintenance
Effects Installation
Building Codes and Enforcement

6. Building Codes
• are an important base for assuring a common
measure of safety and performance
• must address the risks inherent at the location
• are minimum standards
• based on sound engineering provide good
structural performance

7. Hurricane Charley Experience 2004
• Data from 5,200 policies written by one
company in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte
• Permit data obtained from the Charlotte
County
• Wind speed estimates obtained from Applied
Research Associates (Company that developed
hurricane wind risk modeling used in ASCE 7)

8. Claim Frequency by Age of Home
Frequency of Claims - Fraction of policies with Claims
0.7
Average = 36.4%
0.6
Fraction of Policies
0.5
Average = 18.3%
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Year of Construction 1995 High Wind Standards

9. Strong Codes Reduce Claim
Severity and Frequency
Severity Frequency
Pre 1996: $24/sf Pre 1996: 41 claims/100
policies
- 42% - 60%
1996 - 2004: 1996 - 2004:
$14/sf 17 claims/100 policies
9

10. Amount of Roof Damage
* Includes claims
with known damage
types only, except 5%
100%
for partial 25%
covering/partial 90% 33%
decking. 80%
70%
% of 60%
51%
Total Claim s 50%
48%
40%
30%
20% 20%
14%
10% 4%
0%
Pre 1996 1996 - 2004
Building Code Category
No Roof Damage Partial Covering Whole Covering Whole Covering with Decking
10

11. Interior Damage and ALE by Year of
Construction
Interior Damage,
0%
100% 11% 9% ALE ≥ 1 Month
90% 9%
80%
70% 47%
Interior Damage,
% Total 60% 51% ALE < 1 Month
Claims 50%
40%
30% 44% Interior Damage,
20% 29%
No ALE
10%
0%
Pre 1996 1996 - 2004
Building Code Category No Interior Damage
11

12. Garage Door Failures
• Failed primarily due to lack of
reinforcement and track
bracing for design pressures
• Some were also damaged by
windborne debris

14. Newer HUD Building Codes

15. IBHS Voluntary Construction Standards
Code Plus Bringing up to code

16. Code Plus Aspects for New Construction
• Increases design loads for pertinent hazards
• Performance based criteria with some prescriptive
options
• Paying attention to water penetration
• Wind and/or hail impact resistant roofing
• Formal design review
• Connections, connections, connections
• Verification through targeted inspections
• Some insurance discounts are available in some
markets (company by company)

17. Performance of FORTIFIED . . . For safer
living ® Homes in Ike
• Roof covering and sealed roof deck
• Structural capacity
• Water intrusion and water management

18. Fortified Designated Homes on
Bolivar Peninsula

19. Fortified Designated Homes on
Bolivar Peninsula

20. Fortified Designated Homes on
Bolivar Peninsula

21. One Approach to a Sealed Roof Deck

22. A Different Type of Shingles

23. Gable End Failure

24. Inside Home with Gable End Failure

25. Signs of Water Intrusion

26. Signs of Water Intrusion

27. Objective science can – and does – significantly
reduce property losses, injuries and deaths.

28. IBHS Research Center
 Wind
 Hail
 Wildfire
 Water

29. Large Test Chamber
145 ft W x 145 ft L x 70 ft H test
chamber
60 ft W x 30 ft H wind inlet
105 fans, each with 350 hp
motors
 Enough power for 9,000 homes
 Flow volume = 20 X Niagara
Falls
High-speed cameras &
TV lighting

30. Recreating Mother Nature in the Lab
Wind Data Gathered in Field
During Disasters
Engineers Use Data to
Recreate Actual Wind
Scenarios in Lab 105 Fans Bring
Scenarios to Life

31. Wind Simulation Capabilities
 Extra-tropical winds - frontal system or Nor’easter
 Hurricane-force winds - Category 1, 2, 3
 Tornadoes - vortex edge conditions
 Thunderstorms - frontal winds

32. Initial Major Research Focus
• Roofs = 1st line of defense against many
natural hazards
– Wind
– Wind driven rain
– Wind driven ember (firebrand) attacks
– Hail
• Wind Loads and Wind Effects
• Current Test Standards and Ratings

33. Roof Covering Failures
95% of Homes w/ Claims
52% of $ in Claims

34. 3-Tab Shingle Permit Survey Post Charley Replacement

36. Wind-Driven Rain ~
8 in. per hour
Spray nozzle

37. Drainage system in the attic to collect water that
entered though vents and, after roof shingles were
blown off / removed, through the roof deck.

38. Water collection
system in living
space;
50 – 2’ x 10’
collection zones in
the duplex

39. Water Intrusion through Soffits
Covered
Open

40. Water Intrusion: Gable End Vent
At a wind speed of 30 mph+
Water Entry Rate for Open Vent = Wind-driven Water Deposition Rate

41. Water Entry Through Openings: Roof On
Opening Open Soffit Vinyl Vented Gable End
Direction & Wind
Head On 45 Head On 45 Head On
Speed
Accumulation Inch / hr
miles/hour Inch / hr Relative to Open Soffit (% wall
(% wall deposition) deposition)
50 1.3 (15) 1.6 (20) 6% 3% ~8 (100%)
70 2.9 (33) ----- 25% ----- -----

42. Water Intrusion:
Exposed Roof Sheathing
 Water entry through sealed roof deck ~ 1/3 that through unsealed
roof deck.
 Water entry through un-taped roof deck >> water entry through
openings at eave and gable end.

43. Examples of water entry into living space

44. Consequences of Water Entry

45. Loss Estimates
Unsealed Roof Deck = 3 X Greater
Furniture Cleaning versus Replacement
($16,935 vs. $5,408)

47. Thank you!
Questions?
www.DisasterSafety.org

48. DISCLAIMER
IBHS SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY, IN NEGLIGENCE, TORT OR
OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF ANY OF THE
INFORMATION AND/OR PRACTICES DESCRIBED IN THIS
SLIDESHOW. ALTERATIONS OR MODIFCATIONS TO ANY OF
THE CONTENT OF THIS SLIDESHOW ARE THE SOLE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PERSON AND/OR BUSINESS
MAKING SUCH ALTERATIONS OR MODIFICATIONS. NOTHING
CONTAINED IN THIS SLIDESHOW IS INTENDED OR WRITTEN
TO BE USED, NOR MAY IT BE RELIED UPON OR USED, BY ANY
PERSON AND/OR BUSINESS AS LEGAL ADVICE.