RAPID: Multi-Hazard Performance of Load Bearing Wall Systems: A Case Study Following the January 2010 Earthquake and October 2016 Hurricane Matthew

Strengthening community resilience to natural disasters depends critically on improving construction practices across a private sector dominated by low-rise buildings. This issue becomes particularly urgent for coastal communities where hurricane risk is escalating under a changing climate and rising seas. Historically, masonry load bearing wall systems had served as a trusted mode of low-rise construction in such settings. For example, builders in the southeastern United States commonly employ masonry for churches, schools, commercial buildings and even residences. Despite their popularity, the vulnerabilities in these systems can be significant, particularly within states that have yet to enact statewide minimum building standards. Regrettably, these vulnerabilities are only revealed under extreme wind, wave and storm surge loads associated with the passage of major hurricanes. This makes the forensic analysis of building failures during these events a critical source of knowledge to improve the design state-of-the-art. Unfortunately, there have been few opportunities for such real-world validation in the United States.

The passage of Hurricane Matthew over Haiti provides an opportunity to conduct such a forensic analysis for low-rise masonry buildings under one of the most significant hurricanes in recent history. This setting includes construction preferences that facilitate unique comparative analyses of variables known to influence performance of masonry buildings under wind, wave and storm surge. Moreover, the fact that portions of Haiti have recently undergone reconstruction with greater vigilance toward seismic detailing furthers the potential for impact, as there has been no prior opportunity in the United States to explore the in-situ performance of structures under multiple significant hazards in a limited time period (strong earthquake followed by major hurricane with storm surge, wave and wind). A team of wind, coastal and structural engineers from multiple institutions will conduct reconnaissance across the Tiburon Peninsula to examine the performance of low-rise construction during Hurricane Matthew. Through a combination of aerial and ground-based techniques, the team will explore the following questions: (1) How did traditional masonry typologies perform under hurricane wind, wave and storm surge? (2) How did the new structural typologies that have emerged in response to the 2010 Earthquake and aseismically detailed traditional masonry systems perform in this major hurricane? (3) How does the performance of traditional masonry load bearing walls in Hurricane Matthew compare to that observed by the team in the 2010 Earthquake? How can this inform future multi-hazard designs? These insights will continue to advance more resilient, multi-hazard construction practices to reduce losses of life and property in the future.