wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 22:10:29 GMT, "Jim-Poncin"
wrote:


"Notan" wrote in message
...
Matt Whiting wrote:

Nehmo wrote:
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?


I'd build it using reinforced concrete with metal shutters to close
over
the windows, it's own 30 day water supply and enough fuel to power a
backup generator for that same amount of time, and I'd build it on
columns at least 20' tall above the ground, or whatever the storm surge
level from a cat 5 storm is expected to be in that area.

And, while building it off the ground, to get out of harm's way of the
water,
aren't you exposing it to more potential wind damage?

Yes, and if subjected to heavy wave action it would probably fail. Cat 3
Katrina tore up a lot of heavy duty structures. But even before those
considerations it would cost way too much and would not pass residential
codes because it would be an eyesore.
A realistic house would have to be one at ground level that could
survive immersion. I think that means a heavy stone/cement igloo shaped
structure.





iisn't new orleans on a sand bar? make it too heavy and it will just
sink when the ground gets saturated. a bunch of buildings did that on
sand fill in san francisco during one of the big earthquakes.

No, it lies on delta muds and silts that slowly de-water, compact and
subside. There are many tall masonry buildings in downtown N.O. that are on
the same foundation.