Effect of tornadoes on residential masonry structures

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

In the early morning hours of February 23rd, 1998, seven large tornadoes ravaged central Florida. A total of 42 people were killed and millions of dollars of damage was done. A strip mall and other commercial structures sustained considerable damage and several residential areas were completely destroyed. Based on field observations, the paper examines the causes and sequence of structural failure for the masonry single family homes. Wind speeds are estimated based on the observed damage, and compared to the meteorological data. Finally, recommendations are given that could help to eliminate or reduce similar failures in the future. It was found that with simple, cost effective measures, most if not all of the damage could have been prevented.