"Nehmo" wrote in message
...
Let's say you're building a 1,500 square foot house plus
garage on a
sufficiently sized lot from scratch in New Orleans after the
water has
been drained. You want to build so that the house would
suffer zero
damage should it endure a hurricane of similar size as
Katrina.

You would have to build to survive the wind, the flood
water, the
wind-caused waves in the water (In Katrina-NOLA, the wind
had subsided
before water came in; this may not be the case in the
future), and the
impacts of debris.

You need to anticipate looters and unwanted government
interference.

The house would have independent utilities, communication,
and supplies.
And the house would need a secure means of transportation
for escape if
necessary.

How should this house be built and what should it have?


Tilt up concrete walls with rebar from slab foundation...
foundation anchored with 24" diameter deep piles at each
corner.

Flat metal storm roof under the mostly decorative pitched
roof. The storm roof would be poured concrete at 10'.. actual
ceiling in the house would be at 8' or 9'.

Glass would be tempered 1/2" glass. Steel shutters outside.

Doors would be heavy metal, tight sealing that swing out, not
in.


Generator would be propane powered (because it stores well and
doesnt cloggup the generator carb while sitting idle)...Id
have two smaller gen sets..rather than one large one. one
very small honda silent generator.

Sump in the middle of the slab, slope slab to drain 1/8" per
ft. fit a small little giant sump pump in the sump, powered
by the small generator.

Optionally: Put all this on stilts with fold down stairs.

What not to have. Bay windows facing the storm surge. or
sliding doors if you are at ground level..for views and nice
living have wide decks, enclosed with AC or open.. around the
house those will be sacrificed in a storm. Dont build 20'
below sea level. or lower than you are willing to have
pilings to compensate.


Escape: keep an aluminum boat in the garage and a motorcycle
with 150 mile range on a tank of gas.

Costs: You can make the secure core as small as want. Many
people could have paddled out on 4" thick sheets of styrofoam
available at home depot. Anyone could keep a sheet of that
around.

Phil Scott





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