Reconnaissance of Wind Damage to Buildings in Downtown Houston, Texas

This project presents field data collected related to the damage of tall and mid-rise buildings in Downtown Houston, Texas, during the severe storms on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Specifically, images and descriptions of the damage sustained by the structures are shared for the purpose of documenting perishable data primarily related to damage patterns to windows and glass exteriors. The images are organized by building, with key information provided for each building, including name, description, and location. A total of 14 buildings were documented, with a majority showing moderate to severe wind-induced damage to their windows and glass exteriors. The field survey suggests the effects of channeling in downtown corridors, corner effects, under-capacity windows, and damage from cascading debris. These images could be valuable to the engineering community for various purposes, given the unique conditions of this event and the variability of damage across buildings in close proximity to each other. For example, the data could be used to map damage patterns of the surveyed buildings, verify or validate models related to performance-based wind engineering and the behavior of tall buildings and their glass exteriors.